I Wasn't Meant to Live on the Ground
by Word Jester
Summary: RE-EDITED! Stranded on her home planet was the last thing AnaMaria could want. Pirates, the past and a certain cabin boy have AnaMaria at the end of her wits,but being on a ship she has no place to go; this is her story of the voyage to Treasure Planet
1. The Benbow Inn

_On the clearest of nights, when the wind of the etherium were calm and peaceful, the great merchant ships with their cargos of octurim crystals felt safe and secure. Little did they suspect that they were pursued by pirates! _

_And the most feared of all these pirates was the notorious Captain Nathaniel Flint. Like a Cadarin Zapwing, overtaking its prey, Flint and his renegades swooped in out of nowhere. Then gathering up their spoils they vanished without a trance. _

_Flint's secret trove was never found. Nevertheless, stories have persisted that it remains hidden, somewhere in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, stowed with riches beyond the imagination. The loot of a thousand worlds: Treasure Planet._

The same old story in every run down pub around the galaxy; people, young and old gathered around every night and retold the tale of Treasure Planet while the children listened on with excitement. It never changed. It was just an old bedtime story for restless youngsters.

A young girl around the age of fifteen rolled her eyes as an old man a few tables over finished telling the tale of the greedy old Flint and the imaginary Treasure Planet.

"A bunch of load if you ask me," she said, tossing the money for her drink down on the table. She stood to her feet and grabbed her hat, making sure to cover her eyes as she adjusted it on her head.

"A non-believer is you?" an old woman toad asked, over hearing the girl's mumbling. The girl simply shrugged her shoulders and headed for the door.

"Believe what you want," she muttered, shrugging her knapsack onto her back.

The girl stepped out into the cloudy, Montressor evening and pulled her black cloak tighter around her body. With a cautious look both ways, she continued up the path to find a place to stay for the evening. She didn't have to search for very long; just a little ways up the path she was walking was an old, run down inn.

"It'll work," she grumbled to herself. Without a second thought, she hurried up the path to the lodging named "Benbow Inn".

She entered the inn to find it more crowded than first anticipated. However, she shrugged off that fact, persuading herself that she no longer wanted to search for another less popular place to stay, and began her search for the owner or a worker of the inn. Her eyes landed on a frazzled woman taking orders moments later.

The woman appeared to be about thirty years of age and dressed in a red shirt with khaki sleeves accompanied by a long, khaki skirt with a white apron around her front. Her hair was brown, mostly covered by a white bonnet, and her brown eyes held exhaustion, only heightened by the large, dark bags underneath them. Relieved that she found who she was looking for, the girl quickly approached the woman.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a place to stay the night and I came across your inn so I was wondering if you had any vacancies?" the girl asked, taking off her hat so the woman could see her hazel eyes. The woman smiled at the young girl, hiding her clear fatigue and shook her head happily.

"Please, follow me." Nodding her head in thanks the girl obediently followed the middle-aged woman through the crowd of people and towards what the girl presumed the front desk.

"Sorry for the mess," the woman apologized, pushing some papers out of her way. "It's been a busy day." The girl shrugged her shoulders and scanned the small room.

"Business is business," she said simply. The woman gave a small, humorless laugh and pushed some of her brown hair that escaped her bun out of the way.

."So," the woman asked starting up a conversation while booking the young female. "What brings you to Montressor?" The girl's eyes landed on the woman once again before she shrugged.

"This place holds a lot of memories for me, just dropping in to pay this old rock a visit." The woman smiled at the girl and handed over the room key.

"Your room is the first one on your left when you walk up the stairs, you can't miss it. The bathroom is down the hall on your right. You're lucky, you have the whole inn to yourself, save for my son and me. Enjoy your stay at the Benbow and I hope your visit is a nice one, Miss…" the woman trailed off as she realized she didn't catch the young girl's name.

"AnaMaria and it was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for your kindness and the room," the girl said. The woman smiled and held out her hand.

"Thank you for choosing Benbow Inn and my name's Sarah Hawkins. If you need anything just ask me or Jim, my son." AnaMaria nodded her head and politely shook Ms. Hawkins hand before scanning the room once more.

_Feels just like home,_ she thought as she took in all the different people and the smells. She sighed longingly and then turned back to Ms. Hawkins, releasing the woman's hand from her grip . "Ms. Hawkins, if I may trouble you one more time? May I have something to drink? Water would be fantastic if it's alright." Ms. Hawkins smiled and nodded her head.

"No troubles at all and please, call me Sarah." AnaMaria nodded her head, making a note of it if she needed to call upon her services before the night was up.

Once Sarah handed AnaMaria her water she excused herself from the young girl's presence and returned to her work. AnaMaria, not wanting to look like a complete idiot standing there, quickly occupied an empty table close to the shadows. She set her knapsack at her feet and placed her tattered, black tri hat on her head. She began to sip her water quietly, thinking as she quenched her thirst.

_I'm running low on money, _the young teen mused. _I need a job if I ever want to fix my ship. After that last run in with that __**cyborg, **__it needs more than I can provide for it. And I need a new crew. The quicker I find one the better, I don't do well trapped here on the ground.' _The raven-haired girl was snapped from her thoughts by the slamming of a door and the crashing of plates.

"Jim!" Sarah Hawkins gasped.

AnaMaria turned towards the front door to see two robot cops and a boy her about her age standing within the doorframe. Upon seeing the two cops, she pulled her hat down lower and moved into the darkness more so they couldn't see her.

"Okay, thanks for the lift guys," the boy said, moving the cop's, who stood to his right, hand off his shoulders. He attempted to walk forward but the Robocop stopped him.

"Not so fast!" the cop exclaimed, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder once more.

"We apprehended your son operating a solar vehicle in a restricted area," the robot cop on the boy's left informed.

"Moving violation nine-zero-four, section fifteen, paragraph - uh...," the cop on the right trailed off trying to remember the number.

"Six," the boy muttered, rubbing his cheek. AnaMaria smirked slightly in amusement; obviously, he was familiar with this law.

"Thank you," the robot cop on the right said.

"Don't mention it," the boy shrugged. He had brown hair that was styled so that the lower part of his head was shaved off save for a little clump of hair that was braided on the lower part of his head. The hair on top of his head lay hanging seemingly untouched except for his bangs that fell into his face every so often when he moved his head a certain way. His captivating steel blue eyes held a look of pure shame and his shoulders sagged in regret. His black shirt was hidden behind a brown coat that hung from him carelessly. His baggy, too big for him, green pants were held up by a brown belt and on his feet he wore dark brown boots.

"Jim," Sarah Hawkins scolded. Hearing the warning in her voice and the anger in her stare the boy – Jim looked away from his mother. The robot cops continued their lecture.

"As you are aware ma'am this constitutes a violation of his probation," the one on the left explained. Ms. Hawkins quickly spoke up before things could get out of control.

"Yes, yes, no, I understand officers," she said quickly, rubbing her neck. "Um, but, c-c-could we just…" Sarah Hawkins trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Um, pardon me, but um, officers," a man sitting at the other end of the inn called out, catching everyone's attention. "Um, if I might, interject here," he offered, standing to his feet and heading over to the small group by the open door.

The man had a dog like appearance to him, complete with small, floppy brown ears and a large snout. He wore glasses and a small, green vest on top of a white button up collared shirt. On his lower body, he wore khaki pants and brown shoes. Altogether, it looked like this man couldn't do anything but make the current situation worse.

"I am the noted astrophysicist, Doctor Delbert Doppler. Perhaps you've heard of me? No, uh, I have a clipping." The dog man began to search his vest for his clipping. Before he could get too far into his search the robot cop on the left side of the boy interrupted him.

"Are you the boy's father?" he asked. At this the "doctor" and Sarah began to frantically object to the statement, Sarah throwing in an "ew" at the thought and Doppler looking surprised at her little comment.

"He's just an old friend of the family," Sarah Hawkins explained.

The robot cops leaned down to look at Dr. Doppler and commanded harshly, "Back off sir!" Dr. Doppler covered his face with an arm and balanced on one foot in surprise. Ms. Hawkins quickly came to his rescue.

"Thank you, Delbert, I'll take it from here," she reassured.

Dr. Doppler straightened up and said, "Well Sarah, if you insist." He cleared his throat and turned away muttering something to her in the process. He scurried off to his seat. AnaMaria found herself chuckling at the man's pitiful attempt.

The robot on the left continued, "Due to the repeated violations of statue Fifteen C, we have impounded his vehicle. Any more slip up's will result in a one way ticket to juvenile hall."

"Kiddie jail," the right cop added.

"The slammer," the other one said. They released the boy from their grip and Sarah quickly grabbed him before he stormed off.

"Thank you officers," she said, looking down at her son. "It won't happen again." She gave him a pointed look to insure he knew it as well.

"We've seen his type before, ma'am," the robocop on the left added in, as if his words were meant to comfort the mother. His partner looked at him.

"Wrong-choices."

"Dead-enders."

"Losers." Upon hearing the last statement, the boy glared up at the two robot cops, giving AnaMaria a good view of his pierced ear. She smirked as she noticed the boy struggling to hold back a smart comment.

"Also," the left robot said before bidding farewell. "There is said to be a pirate by the name of Longstrum-"

_**Captain **__Longstrum _AnaMaria thought bitterly.

"-In these parts. If you see him please inform us." The robot lifted his hat from his head. "Take care now."

"Let's motor," the other said before they both headed out the door, slamming it on their way out. Sarah was suddenly painfully aware of the entire pub's (save for AnaMaria who had the decency to turn away after the cops had left) attention on her and her son.

Mildly embarrassed that they were caught the people quickly returned to what they were doing. AnaMaria on the other hand returned her attention to the mother and son, watching the conflict from underneath the folds of her tri hat. When the boy turned away from his mother, his eyes caught the gaze AnaMaria.

A well placed curiosity as well as irritation flared inside the boy's stomach. The figure he was looking at was definitely not a regular at the inn and he got the distinct feeling they weren't from around here either. He searched the darkness for a pair of eyes and the hair on the back of his neck rose to attention when his pair of steel blue eyes connected with the pair of startling hazel.

The connection however was swiftly broken when Ms. Hawkins began her scolding once more. Once she said her last, Ms. Hawkins hurried off to finish her work while the boy picked up a load of trays and turned for the kitchen. He cast one last look at the figure with the capturing hazel eyes before disappearing behind the kitchen doors to wash dishes.

Once the pub quieted to a dull roar and the amusement of the previous event faded AnaMaria stood to her feet and grabbed her knapsack from the ground. It was time to do some sightseeing. Leaving a few coins for her drink, AnaMaria headed out, unaware of a pair of steel blue eyes watching her as she disappeared into the town below.


	2. Job Hunting

The next morning AnaMaria was up early, ready for the day to start. She showered quickly and dressed in a simple dark tank that hugged her curves and baggy khaki pants that were held loosely by a red sash. To complete her outfit she threw on her well worn cloak.

"Man, I wish I had my hat," she mourned quietly. When she had reached for her hat only to realize that is was now probably only a pile of ashes in the destroyed Benbow Inn, the girl cursed her luck. She had gone through many troubles to find a hat such as that one and protected it fiercely since the first time it was laid upon her head. She could kick herself for forgetting it so easily, but there would be more hats one day soon, if only she could be patient.

With thoughts of grander, better hats shoved to the back of her mind, she grabbed her pack which now contained only a small amount of clothes and very little money. The last thing she grabbed were her two rattan sticks – simple wooden sticks that served their wielder well. She tucked the sticks into the back her waist band and cleverly covered them with her cloak. She set out after that, intent on finding a job.

Luck was apparently on her side today because as she passed by a quaint little pub the sight of a familiar dog faced man caught her eye through the window. Very much relieved that he was in fact all right she entered the pub to see why he was around this part of town. The pub may have been quaint but it was still in the part of town where one had to watch one's back.

The doctor was surrounded by a group of unsavory characters when AnaMaria slid up beside him. She shot the group an intimidating look, silently challenging any of them to try and cheat the good doctor out of his belongings. She was pleasantly proud of herself when the bunch left, grumbling begrudgingly under their breath.

"Good to see you well, doctor," AnaMaria greeted. She smiled softly at the shocked astrophysicist.

It took him a second to place her face but once he remembered her striking hazel eyes he jumped to thank her. "Thanks to your quick thinking, the Hawkins and I owe you our lives!" AnaMaria waved off his praise.

"Think nothing of it. But I must ask, Dr. Doppler, why are you here, surely this isn't the kind of place you come for lunch?" She glanced around the pub, frowning slightly at some of the more disgusting patrons. The doctor was quick to give a reason.

"You see, I have come across some valuable findings and have been given the permission from my fellow colleagues to finance a voyage! However, a voyage calls for a crew and I know of no one who has a crew at the ready, thus explaining my current reason as to why I am in a place such as this." AnaMaria nodded her head in understanding.

"A voyage you say? May I ask to where you are sailing?" To her surprise the doctor denied her request.

"That information is only to be known by myself and the ship's Captain, I am sorry." This piqued the girl's interest considerably.

"Have you any room for one more on this voyage?" Much to her delight the doctor agreed to allow her on his journey.

"It is the least I can do for you, Miss AnaMaria," he replied casually. "Our voyage takes off in two days time. Please meet the crew and I over at the port 8 am sharp! We will be flying on the RLS Legacy." AnaMaria nodded her head to show she understood, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"I look forward to sailing with you, doctor," she admitted, giddy about the entire idea. The doctor nodded in agreement.

"And I, you, Miss AnaMaria." And with that the two parted ways, destined to meet again in two days time. However, before AnaMaria truly let the doctor leave her sights, she made sure he returned safely to his side of town.


	3. Wind In Ye Sails

The RLS Legacy was a magnificent ship to behold. Deep mahogany was the wood and although it was dulling due to the years of use as well as weather it still shone beautifully in the sunlight. The sun bleached sails were tied tightly to the masts but AnaMaria knew that when unfurled they were truly a sight to behold when catching the winds. The thrusters and engines were a beauty in themselves too albeit a little out dated. True, altogether the ship was a bit old but that fact added to its beauty.

The anxious teen hurried up the gangplank, eager to take in more of the Legacy's wonders. She couldn't help but stare in quiet satisfaction at the riggings, mainmast, and deck of the ship, taking in each aspect as if this were all a dream.

_Can this day get any better?_

Suddenly, a curious sight captured the girl's attention, alerting her to the nervous bubbling in her stomach. It appeared that she knew most of the crew, in fact upon further inspection she realized that she knew the whole crew and had even sailed with them at one point in time. Cursing her luck as well as the doctor's gullibility, AnaMaria kept her gaze low and prayed that she didn't run across a particular spider-like member of said crew.

It was as she planned to move to a less conspicuous area to avoid being recognized that the girl caught sight of an all too familiar figure approaching her, a bittersweet smile plastered on his ugly mug.

The man before her was a large one, towering over her small form like a bear. His tanned face was cruel complete with a cruel smile and a shining red cyborg right eye to accompany his small black left one. The predominate features of the man were not only his right eye but his right arm and leg as well which were also mechanical. He wore a dirty, off-white shirt around his protruding midsection and large green and red stripped pants held up by a brown belt. On his human foot he wore a simple brown shoe with a gold buckle. AnaMaria knew, probably better than most of the crew, not to take the man before her for granted. He was very dangerous and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

"Ah, AnaMaria it's been too long! How ya been lass?" he asked, slapping her hard on the back. Holding back a wince the girl glared up at the man before her. He chuckled and returned her glare playfully.

After a moment of an intense stare off the two softened and embraced the other tightly. "How ya been Silver?" the girl asked as she took in his scent. He pulled the young girl away and stared at her from arm's length, taking in her developed features.

"I believe I asked ye first lass," he said, ruffling her hair. He watched, amused as she tried to straighten out her braided raven hair, much to no success. She gave up a minute later. Silver chuckled, "Still the same old Ana."

"This doesn't change anything, Silver," AnaMaria stated, growing serious. "I'm not coming back to the crew. I'm my own captain now, whether you accept it or not." Silver scowled at the girl's statement but pushed it aside for another time.

"We'll see lass, we'll see," he simply replied. She shot him another glare but he shrugged it off and headed for the kitchen. AnaMaria watched him go, making a mental note to keep a close eye on him during the voyage. If he and his crew were aboard this ship then that only meant that this voyage was a lot more than what it appeared to be.

After dropping off her pack down below deck in the crew's quarters, AnaMaria made herself useful and helped prepare for the launch. She did odd jobs around the ship like carry on supplies for the kitchen and check all the riggings to make sure they were secure. It seemed like no time until a yell for takeoff was called.

While everyone around her picked up the pace of their respective duties, the eager AnaMaria headed for the riggings to get a better view of the launch. A stout call of her name stopped her in her tracks. She turned reluctantly on her heels to see a large rock man all but glaring at her small form. From his attire she guessed that the man before her was the first mate: Mr. Arrow.

Mr. Arrow was a hefty, intimidating man who towered over most of the crew. His skin was a dull gray and rough, matching his rock-like appearance. While everything else on his body was large and slightly frightening his facial features were small, excluding his large mouth and chin. His small eyes were a bland black and his small nose seemed to just be there on his face, serving no particular purpose.

However, what AnaMaria noticed most about the rock man before her, besides his size, was the way he dressed. His clothes were rather impressive without a string out of place beginning with his black tri hat which was edged in yellow that sat atop his head. His broad upper body was clothed in a nice white vest with gold buckling under an eye-catching red jacket with gold shoulder pads. On his lower body he wore simple khaki pants with yellow stripes running down both sides of his legs and simple, small black shoes.

AnaMaria stood up a littler straighter under the first mate's intense gaze and hoped that she wasn't already in trouble.

"Miss AnaMaria!" Mr. Arrow repeated, his voice sharp and demanding. "I've been looking everywhere for you." AnaMaria didn't know what to say to that so she decided it was probably best to remain silent.

"On top of your duty as scout, the Captain would like you to take on another role for the length of the voyage." AnaMaria arched an eyebrow at this strange request. What else could she provide for the trip other than her talents as lookout?

"The Captain would like for you to take a one: Jim Hawkins, under your wing. Show him the ropes of the ship, see to it that he gets into no trouble or ends up endangering himself or others." AnaMaria hoped that her face didn't appear as shocked as she felt.

"So you're asking me to be a baby sitter?"

"Call it whatever you please but know that he is your responsibility for the remainder of the voyage." Without another word, the first mate turned abruptly on his heels and made his way towards the Captain's quarters.

AnaMaria couldn't believe her luck. Refraining from using a few choice words that would turn the worst mouthed sailor red, the girl stalked off in search of her new ward, all thoughts of enjoying the launch gone.

It didn't take long for her to spot the familiar teen. He seemed to be taking in everything around him in awe, oblivious to the irritated glances shot his way every time a crew member had to walk a different route to avoid bumping into him.

"All hands to stations!" Mr. Arrow's voice boomed from the helm.

At the first mate's call the crew rushed to get the ship ready for launch, the boy an even more of a nuisance now that everyone was running here and there trying to get the ship launched while avoiding the boy and each other in the difficult process.

Seeing the oblivious boy's amazement at the whole ordeal brought a smile to AnaMaria's lips despite still feeling sore about her new duty. However, she decided to put her feelings aside and be friendly. She headed over to the awe struck boy, stopping at his side and catching his attention. She relished the surprised look on his face at the sight of her.

"It's always fun to feel how a ship takes off," she muttered. Her gaze was focused on the people saying goodbye to family and friends on other ships. "It never gets old and not to mention it's the best part of the voyage, besides managing the helm of course."

AnaMaria watched from the corner of her eye as Jim turned away from the port to get a look at the view on the deck. He was knocked in the back by a fellow crewmember but he brushed it off and continued to stare in awe as the ship lifted off the ground and began to rise ever so slowly.

"Brace up!" Mr. Arrow's voice rang out. The sails caught wind and puffed out, the material glowing purple as it began to get ready for launch. With the ship now fully ready to launch came the temporary loss of gravity, an experience that Jim and the doctor found mildly surprising.

A figure AnaMaria guessed was the captain called down to a fellow crewmate known as Mr. Snuff. Quickly saluting the captain the gas filled creature turned on the gravity, bringing everyone to the deck once more. The helmsman, Mr. Turnbuckle, turned the ship south by south heading towards one hundred, signifying that the voyage was official ready to begin.

"Full speed Mr. Arrow if you please," AnaMaria caught a woman, probably the only one on deck besides herself ordering. AnaMaria noticed that the woman was the figure that had called down to Mr. Snuff to turn on the gravity a moment ago, making her the captain of the ship. .

The woman was more feline looking than anything else with sharp, tight features including large, cat-like ears protruding from the side of her head and slanted, sharp green eyes that stood out under bright blue eye shadow. The Captain's blazing orange hair was short, barely touching the back of her neck and was slicked back holding an air of professionalism. She stood tall and erect and looked out amongst the crew with hidden distrust. Her outfit consisted of an off-white turtle neck underneath a sharp blue and gold, high collared captain's coat that was long in the back instead of the front with gold shoulder pads, possible long off-khaki, skin tight pants that were mostly covered by long black leather one to two inch heels, and elbow length, white cavalry gloves that covered her long, nimble fingers.

"Take her away!" Mr. Arrow called down to the engine room, drawing AnaMaria's attention away from her captain. The engines began to charge up, gathering energy. Acting quickly AnaMaria braced herself for launch.

With a loud firing sound the Legacy shot forward, sending Jim flying into AnaMaria. Catching herself before she or Jim fell she balanced the boy on his feet as he swayed from the sudden take off. "First take offs are always the worst but you get use to it," she informed, offering the boy a small smile.

He nodded his thanks then took off up the rigging to get a better view of everything around him. AnaMaria, leaving the boy to his curiosity, left to go visit the crow's nest and her old friend Mr. Onus.


	4. A Kind Ship is a Happy Ship

"Long time no see Mr. Onus," AnaMaria greeted as she climbed into the crow's nest beside the small alien.

The small creature, not even reaching AnaMaria's waist was something like a mentor to the young girl. His many small black eyes smiled up at her as she made room for both of them to stand comfortably. He wore a simple tattered, black tri hat and a simple black captain-like coat that fit him perfectly.

"Tis always a pleasure to see you young Ana," Mr. Onus said well heartedly. "I heard you've made quiet a name for yourself, Captain Longstrum." The small, many eyed alien smiled up at her as she nodded her head.

"You know it was always a dream of mine Mr. Onus," the girl simply replied, taking in the sight of a herd of Orcus Galacticus. "But it I'll always love being up in this old crow's nest looking out at the stars, it's like a second home to me." Mr. Onus nodded his head, fully understanding the young one before him.

"There is talk of treasure on this voyage, lass," Mr. Onus said quietly. "Flint's trove!" AnaMaria rolled her eyes at the talk of all this again.

"You guys still haven't given up?" she asked.

Mr. Onus shook his head and looked out in the open space, "We're so close lass and word has it that the map Billy Bones had is on this very ship! When the time is right we're taking over and then will be richer than kings!" AnaMaria narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Watch out for greed…it'll be the death of you." Mr. Onus shook off her little wisdom and told her to go and enjoy the rest of the day before her night shift. Casting one last glance at the lookout she climbed back down the make shift ladder and on to the deck once more.

The sound of Jim's name being called caught AnaMaria's attention as she sat herself down on a crate nearby. It seemed as if Silver was taking control of the cabin boy's aimless exploring.

Jim turned to look at Silver, still a little excited that he was actually on a ship headed for the legendary Treasure Planet.

"I got you two new friends I'd like you to meet," Silver informed standing a few feet away from the boy. Jim looked at Silver a little interested in meeting his new "friends".

"Say hello to Mr. Mop," the pirate cook threw the boy a mop, "and Ms. Bucket." A bucket quickly accompanied the mop, flying at Jim but he easily caught it along with the mop, more than a little irritated at the cook's bland humor. Silver barked loudly in laughter at the boy's disappointment before stalking off below deck.

"I got your Mr. Mop," Jim muttered darkly, slamming the wet mop on to the deck. From her perch on the crate AnaMaria watched the agitated boy with mild amusement. In his furious pace the boy ended up bumping into a working crewmate.

"Watch it twerp," the crewmember said, obviously irritated that the boy was in his way. Without another word, the alien stormed away, leaving Jim and AnaMaria to stare after him.

Hushed whispers caught the teens' attention. Both looked to see a fraction of the crew huddled together talking in hushed voices.

AnaMaria narrowed her eyes warily. _Well that's not suspicious at all. _

One of the men, sensing unwanted attention, looked up to find AnaMaria and Jim looking their way. Stopping midsentence he hit his other crewmates and pointed in their direction.

"What are you looking at weirdo?" one of the crewmembers asked crossing his arms. The question seemed to be aimed at Jim so AnaMaria decided to stay out of it. The crew mate's head moved from his body to revel that his lower body had a face and mouth too.

"Yeah weirdo," the lower body said. Jim looked at the crew, thinking of something smart to say but the sound of hissing brought his attention away from the group. AnaMaria, hearing it too, looked up only to find her least favorite person crawling down the rigging.

The spider/crab-like alien known to AnaMaria as Scroop crawled quickly down the rigging and onto the deck in front of the two teens. His large yellow eyes sent shivers down AnaMaria's spine as his small black pupils took her and the boy in. His long face was twisted into that of annoyance/anger as his large mouth, unable to hold all of his teeth, feel into a displeased frown. He wore only a long, dark coat that hung pathetically from his body. His long arms lifted as he pointed a menacing pincer at Jim.

"Cabin boys should learn to mind their own business," Mr. Scroop hissed. His S's sounded much like a hissing snake. AnaMaria held back a shudder as the spider like crew mate cast a glance back at her.

"Why? You got something to hide bright eyes?" Jim asked. Scroop's eyes flashed back over to the cocky teenage boy, glowing with anger. AnaMaria cringed.

Slowly, so as not to attract any unwanted attention from her crewmates, AnaMaria reached inside her cloak for her hidden rattan sticks. She wrapped her hand around them and gripped them tightly, waiting for her chance to strike if the situation got out of hand.

Scroop grabbed Jim by his collar and lifted him into the air. "Maybe your ears don't work so well." Jim struggled in the spider's grip.

"Yeah," Jim choked out. "Too bad my nose works just fine." From where she sat AnaMaria saw Scroop tense suddenly, a giveaway that he was quickly losing his temper. AnaMaria clutched her sticks even tighter.

"Why you impudent little," Scroop trailed of pinning the boy to the mainmast. Their exchange was quickly gathering an audience of screaming pirates who appeared eager for their crewmate to spill blood. Seeing that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, AnaMaria decided it was time to intervene.

She was beside Scroop in an instant, her weapons pointed dangerously at his throat. "Let him go, Scroop," she said in a low, harsh voice.

Scroop's attention snapped to the young, female beside him, smirking as his grip on the boy tightened, increasing Jim's struggle. "I said drop him," AnaMaria growled.

Quick as lightening she swiped his feet out from underneath him. The spider fell to the ground face first, dropping Jim in the process. The pirates around the three cheered for more.

AnaMaria cast a glance in Jim's direction to find him gasping for breath but altogether okay. She returned her attention to a certain spider crew mate who was back on his feet.

"Wrong move little Ana," Scroop hissed, swinging a claw at the girl. Dodging his attack with ease AnaMaria struck Scroop across his face with her sticks, knocking the spider back to the ground. The pirates' cheers got louder as the fight became more intense.

Scroop, now clearly livid, grabbed the front of AnaMaria's cloak and hoisted her into the air. Bringing her feet up she planted them firmly on the spider's upper torso. She pushed off, tearing the cloak from her body and making the spider stumble, releasing her from his iron grip. The agile girl flipped gracefully in the air and landed feet first on the deck, ready for the next attack.

Scroop tossed the useless torn cloak overboard and swung his claw at the girl. She easily blocked the attack with her sticks. Glaring at the female pirate before him Scroop swung his other claw at her, striking her temple. AnaMaria was knocked a few feet back, vision blurry. Seeing he had the upper hand, he lunged at her and managed to pick her up by her hair. He brought her up to his eye view.

"There's no way to escape now, little Ana," he chuckled. "And Silver isn't here to save you. What are you going to do?" The female spit in his face and struggled to get the spider's claws out of her hair. Wiping the spit off his face, he slammed the girl on to the deck, pinning her between the deck and his claw.

"Any last words, little Ana?" He brought his other claw up to her cheek, cutting the skin that was there as he ran it down her face. Suddenly a well-known cyborg claw gripped his. Scroop and AnaMaria turned their attention to the old cyborg, glaring down at them.

"Mr. Scroop," Silver said impassively. He carelessly glanced away from the two and focused on the purp in his other hand. He bit into the purple fruit before continuing, "You ever seen what happens to a fresh purp when you squeeze real hard?" Silver's grip on the spider's claw tightened, forcing him to let go of the girl's hair. Unbeknownst to everyone they weren't the only ones watching the confrontation between Silver and Scroop.

"What's all this then?" Mr. Arrow's commanding voice asked. Silver quickly dropped Scroop's claw and turned to the first mate who was on the upper deck. Mr. Arrow marched down the steps, glaring at each pirate.

"You know the rules; there will be no brawling on this ship. Any further offenders," he said as he walked down the line of pirates who were pretending to look ashamed, "will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage." He turned to Scroop, glaring at the man, "Am I clear, Mr. Scroop?" Scroop returned the glare, growling softly. He appeared to be holding himself back from attacking the man in front of him.

With a quick look at Silver, whose cyborg eye was glowing warningly, he turned back to the first mate and growled, "Transparently."

Satisfied that the confrontation was nullified, Mr. Arrow barked to the rest of the crew to get back to their stations before stalking off to the helm. Reluctantly and with heated glares thrown at the back of Mr. Arrow, the crew retreated to the galley below deck, leaving Silver, Jim, and AnaMaria to stare at one another.

"Well done Mr. Arrow sir, a kind ship's a happy ship, sir!" Silver saluted to the retreating first mate then picked up the mop lying by his feet and turned to Jim.

"Jim-bo, I gave you a job," Silver said angrily. Before he could finish Jim cut him off.

"Yeadh well I was doing it until that bug thing-" he was quickly cut off by Silver.

"Belay that! Now I want this deck swabbed spotless!" He threw the cabin boy the mop. "And heaven help ya if I come back and it's not done. Morph, keep an eye on this punk, let me know if there be any more distractions." Morph gibbered something before widening his eyes so he could follow Silver's orders.

Silver turned his attention to AnaMaria and help the girl to her feet. He gave her a once over to see if there was any serious damage caused and was relieved to find her with only a few scratches and bruises.

"Scroop has lost his mind," her growled. He gripped the girl's jaw lightly in his human hand and turned her face back and forth to check to see if her eyes were dilated. "Follow me into the kitchen to get you cleaned up." The cyborg released her face and turned away from her to head into the kitchen but stopped short at her words.

"I'm fine."

Sighing loudly, the cook turned to give her a pointed look, careful to make sure Jim didn't see. "Still, it would put me old heart at ease if ye allowed me to put some disinfect on ye wounds, ye know, so they don't get infected and such." His glowing red eye showed little room for disagreement. Biting back a sigh, AnaMaria followed her former captain down into the galley.


	5. Threats

"So, we're all here," Silver, said humbly, "Fine." Silver walked down the galley, lecturing the crew as he went. "Now if you pardon my plain speaking gentlemen, are you all," he paused, changing his cyborg hand into a sword, "Stark raving, totally blinking, daft!" He swung his sword this way and that, narrowly avoiding Mr. Onus's many eyes.

"After all my work getting us hired as an upstanding crew you want to blow the whole mutiny before it's time?" Silver asked harshly, glaring at Scroop as he asked this.

"The boy was sniffing about and the girl should have stayed out of my way," Scroop said, glaring in AnaMaria's direction. She returned the favor.

"You just stick to the plan you bug brained twit!" Silver snarled. Scroop scowled in displeasure, biting back a snappy remark."As for the boy, I'll run him so ragged he won't have time to think." AnaMaria felt a sense of unease wash over her at Silver's words.

The tension in the room was broken bya loud grumble erupting from AnaMaria's stomach. Hearing this Silver dismissed his crew and turned to the counter to begin fixing dinner. An anxious AnaMaria stayed behind, making sure to stay quiet until the galley was completely hers and Silver's.

"Why did you do that?" AnaMaria growled, barely able to contain her anger.

"What are you talking about lass?" The old cook refused to look in her direction, focused on the meal he was currently preparing.

"Why did you drag me down here and make me listen to your plans for mutiny? I am no longer a part of your crew, Silver or have you forgotten that?" AnaMaria moved to get a better look at her former captain but he refused to acknowledge her.

"Your plans are no longer mine! I am my own captain and I expect you to treat me with some level of respect!" She slammed her fist down on the countertop, effectively getting the attention she desperately wanted.

His mechanical eye burned a marvelous ruby, depicting the fury he felt beneath his calm tone. "Ye know as well as I where your loyalties fall when it counts, lass. Speak one word of this to Jim-bo or anyone else you will have much more than Scroop to worry about."

A fear hidden deep inside the young captain flared to life at the cook's words but she was quick to quell the flames. Leveling the man with a glare that could rival his fiercest she challenged him in a controlled, chocked whisper, "Is that a threat, Silver?"

The cook laughed loudly at the insinuation before scrapping his mechanical hand that was converted into a dicing knife across the cutting board, scraping the diced vegetables into the boiling pot of broth on the oven. "Never was good at threats, couldn't really take myself seriously."

He brushed the topic off so easily that anyone else would have thought that it was all a joke but AnaMaria knew better. The old captain didn't threaten much but when he did it was wise to stay on his good side. Wary of the near future, the girl let the matter drop and welcomed a freshly prepared dinner.

After having dinner, AnaMaria excused herself to the crew's sleeping quarters. Plopping down on her cot she opened up her pack that was by the foot of her hammock and dug through it until she came across her bandages and alcohol. After cleaning the wounds left on her by Scroop she tenderly bandaged them and returned her things to her pack once more before going in search of the cabin boy. She found him on deck still mopping.

"Well what a surprise," AnaMaria said, getting the attention of the two.

Standing before Jim was a cloak less AnaMaria with her hands on her hips. She stood before him in a dark dull blue, figure fitting tank top and a pair of baggy khaki cargo pants. On her feet were black boots held together by metal. Her raven hair was still in a messy braid down her back with her bangs framing her face, making her hazel eyes stand out more in the night light. Jim could feel his throat tighten.

"You've been up here for an hour and the decks still in one piece," Jim scowled at her but she shook it off.

They stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment until Morph decided to break it by turning into a miniature AnaMaria fighting off an invisible attacker. Laughing a little, she reached out to Morph and rubbed him under his chin. "I got a few bruises from that one, Morphy." Jim, upon hearing that, immediately felt guilty.

"Um look, I - uh - what you did, I - uh -thanks," he said, smiling a little. AnaMaria shrugged leaning against the side of the ship. "It's no big deal; Scroop is just a pain; although, that still doesn't give you the right to insult him, especially since you're no match for him. Didn't your old man ever teach you to pick your fights more carefully?" Jim's smile disappeared into the frown he always wore as he got back to mopping the deck. AnaMaria felt that guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach as she observed the boy.

"Your dad not the teaching kind?" she asked, turning to look out at the sunset.

"No," she heard him say. "He was more of the taking off and never coming back kind." Upon hearing this AnaMaria turned to see him swabbing the deck furiously.

"Ah," she said approaching him. "Sorry to hear that." The boy shrugged off her apology but she knew the very thought was getting to him.

"No big deal, I'm doing just fine." AnaMaria rolled her eyes and moved in front of him.

"Really," she said, looking him up and down. "Oh yeah I can see it." She crossed her arms and smirked at him. "Next time you and Scroop get into it I'll let you handle your own, you know, since you're doing **just fine**." The female pirate chuckled. He scowled and turned away from her gaze.

"I didn't need your help any way," he said angrily. The girl waved him off as she began to play with Morph who was flying around her playfully.

"Yeah, I knew you didn't," she said, still playing with the mischief little blob.

"Why did you help me earlier anyways, seems to me that it would've just been easier on you if you let that spider psycho finish me off. Don't tell me you're actually starting to like me?" Jim joked, leaning on the mop cockily. AnaMaria shot him a sneer.

"Don't flatter yourself. You don't know Silver like I know him. If he found out that, I let you be killed by Scroop while under my watch he would've never let me hear the end of it. He told me to watch over you and out of respect for him I did just that. If I would have known it would have left me bumped and scarred then I would've gladly let Scroop finish you off." Seeing that the cabin boy had stopped his chore she quickly changed topics.

"Why'd you stop mopping this deck?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Did I tell you to stop? I want this deck swabbed spotless and you better not stop unless relieved by Silver or myself." Jim's coy smile turned into a sour frown as he muttered something under his breath that the young girl didn't catch.

Swiftly taking out her one of her sticks, she sent it slamming against the boy's head. His cry of pain was music to AnaMaria's ears. "I'm sorry I didn't catch that," she said, cupping her hands over her ear so that she could hear him better.

Jim glared at the girl before yelling loudly, "WHAT YOU DO THAT FOR?" AnaMaria, not liking his tone, slammed the stick into the boy's stomach, knocking the air out of him.

"Cabin boys should know there place on a ship," she said calmly, enjoying the boy's gasps for breath. "Now get to swabbing or you'll have a lot more to worry about then Silver." Jim was about to respond smartly but seeing the stick in AnaMaria's hand decided against it. Seeing that she had won AnaMaria turned on her heel and headed for the crow's nest.

Reliving Mr. Onus of his shift the girl watched the boy carefully until she noticed Silver coming up from the galley. She smirked as she saw him and Jim immediately get into an argument about something. Morph, not liking to see the two males fight, flew up to the crow's nest and nestled in beside the young girl, gibbering something before licking her cheek in affection.

"What are we gonna do with those two Morph?" she asked as she rubbed the shape shifter belly. He made a sound of delight then turned into one of her sticks and began smashing it against the wood. She laughed as she quickly caught on to what the little blob was saying. "Not a bad idea, not a bad idea at all." Settling down a bit, she started her watch.


	6. Then Things Take a Turn for the Worst

Over the next couple of days, AnaMaria noticed a few changes in how Silver and Jim acted towards one another. It seemed like they were always together; from scrubbing the scum off the bottom of the ship to scrubbing the deck. If Silver wasn't with the boy bossing him around then Jim was off on his own day dreaming. It worried AnaMaria a little bit (even though she wouldn't admit it to anyone) how Jim could get lost in his own thoughts but as the days passed the cabin boy became more and more bearable. Silver seemed to get a soft spot for the boy but AnaMaria thought she was the only one who saw it. If the crew found out then they wouldn't take Silver serious any more. Luckily, they were too wrapped up in their own daydreams of the supposed riches they would receive once they reached Treasure Planet, that they barely noticed the two getting closer. And as their greed grew AnaMaria's guilt at the impending mutiny grew as well.

It was night time on the ship and it seemed like AnaMaria was the only one on deck. Having Jim and Silver go out for a rider earlier made the whole ship seem at peace that night.

It unsettled her how convincing a liar the cook was. He could smile in the boy's face and fill his head up with all these hopes knowing that one day soon he would crush them. It made her sick to her stomach and yet she couldn't find the courage to warn the boy and that fact in itself made her more furious with herself than at the two-facedness of Silver. From below deck a sound rang out, signaling the return of Silver and Jim which effectively brought her mind away from her dark thoughts.

_What a beautiful night, _AnaMaria sighed, stretching out in the crow's nest.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the ship passing the old star, Maktar Nebulon. It was supposed to go supernova a while back but it was still there, in all its beautiful glory. Hopefully it wouldn't blow up as the old Legacy ship was passing it. And yet all the hope in the world wouldn't protect the ship or its inhabitants from the abrupt pulsing of the start and what it entailed.

_It wouldn't go supernova right now would it?_

As if to answer her question the star pulsed once more, swelling to an unimaginable size before exploding in a dazzling show of light. The backlash wave from the explosion hit the shocked girl head on sending her toppling off the side of the crow's nest.

Acting on pure instinct, she reached out and grabbed on to the side before she could fall to the deck below. Still running off the adrenaline coursing through her body at the sudden actions, she hoisted herself up to look over the crow's nest and towards the supernova. Below she could hear Silver and Jim run up from the docking.

"AnaMaria, what's going on?" Silver shouted up to her. She spared the cook a passing glance and shouted, "Maktar Nebulon has gone supernova!" Another sporadic wave slammed into the ship, causing the young pirate to lose grip on the crow's nest.

The scream that rose to her throat was cut off by the impact of her back hitting the firm surface of an object that was too soft to be the deck. She looked up with wild eyes to see that she was being held in Jim's arms. The boy smiled shakily down at her.

"Thanks," she said a little breathlessly. She moved quickly from the teen's arms and looked on in awe with him as the old star disappeared. AnaMaria was vaguely aware of Captain Amelia rushing past her and Jim towards the helm yelling for evasive action.

"All hands fasten your life lines!" Mr. Arrow's voice commanded. Without hesitation, AnaMaria grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him over to the lifelines. Fastening hers quickly she disappeared into the mad rush, knowing Jim would be able to handle himself.

Wave after wave rocked the ship, causing many to struggle to keep balance on their precarious dash for safety while fireballs from the explosion tore through the sails, rendering them useless. The Captain, upon seeing this, ordered the sails to be secured. Hearing her before anybody else did, AnaMaria quickly obeyed, maneuvering up the riggings with ease.

If finding your balance while having both feet planted firmly on the deck was a challenge, attempting to find your balance while dangling from ropes several feet from the ground with no support but open space was near impossible, however, AnaMaria steeled her nerves and gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm and make her way steadily up the ropes. When she reach her sail, she wrapped her legs tightly around the mast to enable she wouldn't be knocked into space and worked fast, her nimble fingers working expertly.

When she had her sail secured, she cast her gaze around the ship to catch sight of Silver and Jim. The two coincidentally were working on a sail just below hers, Jim securing his end with ease. It was as the old cyborg began to tie the finishing knots on his end that a fireball slammed into his side, sending him stumbling off the mast. AnaMaria felt her breath catch and her heart falter.

Thankfully Jim reacted swiftly, grabbing onto Silver's life line and tugging hard to pull him within reaching distance. He helped him back on to the mast and shared a shaky, relief filled smile. However, their attention – as well as AnaMaria's – was quickly caught by an even more terrifying sight: a massive molten rock was headed straight for the Legacy.

There was nothing the crew could do to avoid being crushed and burned under the rock; it appeared to be the end of the line for them, the last voyage any of them would ever sail together. And as the heat of the lava boulder became unbearable and cries of help were being sang to the heavens...the rock began to move backwards, seemingly pulled by some unknown force. It appeared that their prayers had been answered: by a black hole.

AnaMaria swung herself from the beam and onto the riggings. She moved down the roping quickly, dropping to the deck when she was just inches off the ground in order to get a better look at the black hole. If they didn't do something soon they'd all be dead.

Up on the helm Captain Amelia was struggling fiercely with the wheel, trying to steer her ship away from the danger, but try as she might the pull of the hole was too great. She roared in fury.

"Blast these waves, they're so erratic!" the Captain shouted, struggling ever harder to turn the wheel.

"No Captain, they're not erratic at all, they'll be one more in exactly forty-seven point two seconds followed by the biggest one of them all!" Dr. Doppler yelled over the howling winds from his post at the radars.

His words brought a sudden idea to the Captain's mind. It was a bit farfetched but faced with the other option of being sucked into a black hole there wasn't much of a conscious battle over whether or not it was smart to try it out.

"Brilliant Doctor!" the Captain cried, grasping on to the only hope they had left, "we will ride that last one out of here!"

"All sails secured Captain!" Mr. Arrow shouted.

"Good man!" Amelia praised, "Now release them immediately!" If under less threatening circumstances she would have found his confused expression rather humorous but now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts when one's life was at stake.

The first mate only faltered for a second before he turned to bark the new orders to the crew. He had always trusted his Captain's choices before and more often than not they saved them from near death situations not quite like this but now was not the time to be losing hope now. He only slightly hoped she knew what she was doing.

The crew was less than convinced with their captain's wishes but with only minimal grumbling did they turn and hurriedly see to her orders.

AnaMaria found herself unfurling the same sail she secured only moments ago, her legs wrapped even more tightly around the mast she sat upon as the winds pushed ever more heavily against her body. Through narrowed eyes she watched the proceedings of the rest of the crew, taking into note how everyone worked together to get the job done, even Scroop and Mr. Arrow.

"AnaMaria, get down here lass!" Silver shouted, his voice distorted a little by the wind. She moved swiftly albeit cautiously down the riggings, anxious to reach the safe haven of the cyborg.

It was as she raced across the deck towards Silver that the next wave hit, sending her tumbling forward. She would have been thrown overboard if it the cook had not thought fast on his feet, reaching out and grabbing her around the mid-section before ramming her harshly against the main mast of the ship. Because of his rash actions her head was snapped backwards against the wood, stunning her. Through the daze, she heard Dr. Doppler yell something about the last wave with Captain Amelia's quickly following.

"Hold on to your life lines this is going to be a bumpy ride!"

The feeling of another body pressed against hers brought the girl's gaze upwards to stare into the steely blue irises of Jim Hawkins. His panicked gaze was the last thing she saw before her world was enveloped in darkness. Subconsciously, she fisted the front of his shirt tightly into her hands to offer her one last iota of comfort….

The light of the night sky had never looked brighter in AnaMaria's eyes, nor the air fresher. When the last wave – the biggest of them all, just like the Doctor predicted – struck the ship, the Captain was able to use the force of the wave, combated with the Legacy's thrusters, to propel the ship back into open space. The sudden jolt sent many of crew slamming against the ship's sides and Dr. Doppler careening into a pile of ropes, but thanks to the lifelines no was thrown overboard. However, the sudden jolt did cause Jim and AnaMaria to butt heads.

The crew was in hysterics, jumping around and singing praises of their admirable captain. For many, they would tell and retell this story for many years to come to anyone who would listen over a pint of rum. They would not soon for Captain Amelia's bravery against the black hole that nearly ended their lives! Pulling away from each other Silver, Jim, and AnaMaria went to greet the Captain at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well I must congratulate you Mr. Silver it seems your cabin boy did a bang up job with those life lines," the Captain said. Jim and Silver shared a proud smile at the praise; even AnaMaria felt a small sense of pride towards the boy.

"Everyone accounted for Mr. Arrow?" the Captain went on to ask. Surprisingly there was no reply. "Mr. Arrow?" The woman scanned the crowd for her missing first mate.

A feeling of dread bubbled in the pit of AnaMaria's stomach as she thought back to earlier. The last time she had seen the rock man was… Her eyes caught sight of a familiar spider-like crew member making his way through the crowd. He held Mr. Arrow's hat in his pinchers.

"I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost," he sighed. His face appeared to look solemn but AnaMaria quickly saw through the façade. She watched through a heated glare as the conniving creature clearly handed the Captain her first mate's hat. In silent disbelief the Captain took it. "His life line was not secured."

Everybody, save for AnaMaria and Silver turned to look at the cabin boy. "No! I checked them all!" Jim exclaimed. The boy pushed past AnaMaria and others in his rush to check the lifelines. "I did, I checked them all. They were secured, I swear!" Jim turned to look at the Captain, begging her to believe him.

Hatred for the sly Scroop raged inside of the young girl. She wanted to scream out how he killed Mr. Arrow. She wanted to kick and hurt him for making Jim blame take the blame but with no solid evidence and a stern looking Silver staring down at her with his mechanical red eye, the young pirate knew she couldn't do anything.

Scroop caught AnaMaria's heated gaze and only smiled in response. The nonchalant upturn of his ugly lips fueled the burning hatred for the monster and it took all her will power not to attack him. The firm grip that could only come for a mechanical arm further demanded she keep her anger to herself. The soft sigh of her captain was the only thing that could deter her attention from Scroop as the feline opened her mouth to address the crew.

"Mr. Arrow was a-" Captain Amelia had to pause, gathering her emotions. She cleared her throat before continuing, "fine spacer; finer than most of us could ever hope to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts, we carry on." She quickly retreated to her stateroom to mourn the death of her friend properly, away from the crew's prying eyes.

AnaMaria's attention snapped to the cabin boy as he rushed off, eager to get away from the crew who viciously judged him. The girl moved to follow him only to be held back by the firm hand of Silver.

She turned to glare questioningly up at her former captain only to find him at a loss of what to do. His confusion only added to her urgency and she swiftly shrugged from the cyborg's grip to run after Jim.

Everything screamed for the old captain to follow the girl so as to see she didn't foil their plans but his heart wasn't in it. And so he watched her disappear after the cabin boy who had managed to find a place in his rusted, cold heart.


	7. Heartfelt Conversations

AnaMaria found the boy sitting on the rigging, staring out into space. Knowing she still had shift that night she tried to make it as quick as she possibly could but she wasn't too worried. She approached the boy quietly, not making her presence known until she climbed up beside him.

"I know it wasn't your fault," she began quietly, avoiding his gaze. Jim sighed and tried to ignore the girl beside him. AnaMaria, not wanting to give up so easily continued, "If it wasn't for you, me and half of the crew would've ended up like-" Not wanting hear any more Jim interrupted her.

"Don't you get it!" he shouted aggravated. "I screwed up! I mean for one second I thought I could do something right but I just - ugh - I just -" he sighed dropping what he had to say. "Just forget it." He began to move away from the girl but she caught a hold of his wrist, efficiently stopping him in his place.

"The point is Jim, you couldn't have helped him. Sometimes things are out of our control. If it was your fault then it was everybody else's as well." She dropped his wrist from her grip and moved so he was looking at her. "I know how it feels to blame yourself for something you had no control over, believe me." She searched his eyes for a hint of understand but found only anger and self-pity.

"How could you?" he scoffed, looking away from her. "It was my responsibility and I blew it. I was in charge of handling the lifelines and I didn't do my job. I screwed up, end of story." He moved around the girl and started to head off to do some more moping only to be stopped by her voice.

"I've had my own share of hardships growing up. Done a lot of things I'm not proud of and sometimes I regret each waking up, but it won't do me much good to dwell on the past and it won't do you much good either," she muttered. "Time moves on with or without you. What happened is in the past now so it's best to just leave it there; that's my advice to you, take it or leave it." She moved over to the ladder leading up to the crow's nest but Jim quickly stopped her.

"AnaMaria wait!" She turned to face the boy only to find herself a few inches away from his chest. She looked up to see the boy smiling down at her. "Walk with me." Before she could reject or even answer, he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the riggings.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," Jim said. AnaMaria shook her head and stopped, causing Jim to look back at her in confusion.

"You spoke out of anger," the girl said, "sometimes; anger gets the better of us." Jim nodded his head, grateful that the girl didn't take his words offensively.

"So, how do you know so much about a ship? And how do you know Silver?" he asked changing the subject. The young girl shrugged not knowing where to start.

"I grew up on a ship. I ran away from home and stowed away on a merchant's boat. The boat was attacked soon after by pirates and sent crashing on to Proteus One."

"Let me guess, Silver saved you from there too?" Jim asked. AnaMaria nodded her head and smiled. Seeing this Jim felt his face heat up; he decided he liked her smile.

"He's like a father to me. He can be harsh at times but he means well…I think." Jim laughed at that causing AnaMaria to brighten up.

"So, you were born on Montressor right?" AnaMaria asked. With a nod from Jim she continued, "Not much to do there but solar surf." This caught Jim's attention.

"You solar surf?" he asked, clearly surprised. AnaMaria nodded her head smiling as she remembered all the times she was on a board. "I try to do it every now and then; it's the second best thing to being on a ship."

Their walk took them around the deck a couple times and by the time, they ended their current conversation they were settled down on the bow, looking out at the stars.

"It's always so beautiful out at night. I think that's the best part about having night time watch, you have the best view," AnaMaria confessed. Jim took his opening to steal a glance at the girl beside him.

She looked like she was far away from there, on another adventure, sailing space without a care in the world. He liked how he could talk to somebody who could relate to him in more ways than one. At first, it seemed like she was just like any other stuck up girl but when he looked beyond that he could see that she really was kind. He enjoyed spending time with her and wished that this moment between them would last, but all good things must come to an end.

AnaMaria, sensing his gaze, turned to see him staring down at her. "Is something on my face?" she laughed, swiping a hand across her face. The boy offered her a soft smile, shaking his head slightly.

The young pirate returned the smile, albeit a little confusedly. "You know you actually look normal when you're not frowning."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jim asked.

"It's just that, you always seem to be mad. What makes you so angry?" Jim sighed beside her and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm not angry," he protested softly. "Ever since my dad spilt I haven't been as happy as I used to be. I guess without a father figure around, I became this screw up begging for attention. I turned into the trouble maker that nobody understood and didn't give the time of day to.

"I know I let my mom down a lot and I've disappointed her more times than I can count. It just makes me guilty that I put so much stress on her. I have no friends and it just seems like everybody is always blaming me for something. I guess I got so used to having nobody besides my mom there for me."

AnaMaria looked at Jim as if seeing him for the first time. He was an outcast that nobody understood so he rebelled. He blamed himself for his father leaving so he felt that if he acted the way he does then he could get the attention that he so desperately wanted. Now he just wanted to make his mom proud of him instead of always disappointing her. He wanted people to see him in a different light.

"Well," AnaMaria said slowly, thinking of the right words to say, "Now you have me." She fought back the heat rising to her cheeks as she turned to give him a soft smile. "You deserve a friend, Jim."

Jim, shocked more than anything else, sat there dumbly as AnaMaria stood to her feet. He wasn't why his face felt so hot or what the funny feeling in his chest was all about but he did know that he liked the feeling. He felt the corner of his lips turn up in a small smile.

"Shouldn't you be up in the crow's nest lass?" a familiar voice asked, interrupting the pleasant moment. The two teens jumped away from one another as if they had been caught doing something inappropriate and turned to face Silver whose hands were placed on his hips and whose lips were turned up in an amused smirk, hoping that their faces weren't as red as they felt they were.

"Headed that way right now; it was nice talking to you Jim," AnaMaria said, smiling softly towards the boy before taking off for the crow's nest. Jim stared after the teen, a dreamy look in his eye.

"You too," he called after her. Silver arched an eyebrow at his cabin boy before grabbing him by his collar and dragging him off into the galley so he could talk with him as he finished the dishes.

AnaMaria sighed from the crow's nest and banged her head lightly against the mast.

S_tupid, stupid Ana! You're supposed to be mutinying against him, not blushing like some lovesick school girl! _She banged her head against mast once more for good measure before noticing a certain pink blob had joined her in the crow's nest.

She nearly crushed said blob between her palms when he morphed into a certain cabin boy and hers truly kissing.

"Good night, Morph!" she growled as she shooed him away. Morph gibbering happily floated away still in that form as he disappeared into the galley.

_I'm gonna kill that blob when I see him again! _With that evil thought dancing in her brain, she started her watch once again.


	8. Conflict of Interests

Later in her watch, she noticed Jim walking up from the galley, a smile playing on his lips. Her eyes followed him until he disappeared down below to the crew's sleeping quarters. Wondering what the old cyborg had said to him, she arched in eyebrow when she saw the cyborg she was thinking of appear from the galley, a smoking pipe in his mouth.

"You do know that smoking kills?" she called down to him. Silver looked up to the girl in the crow's nest and merely shrugged.

"Helps out my stress," he said, smiling lightly. Seeing her disapproving stare, he took the pipe out of his mouth and put it behind his back. The girl shook her head disapprovingly but let the matter drop, knowing all too well she was starting a losing battle.

"The stars are shinin' bright tonight," the old pirate commented. "It does these old bones good to look upon them in peace every once in a while." A soft smile grazed his lips as he stared admiringly out at the sky. "It reminds me of the good 'ol days, don't ye agree, lass?" He loudly in amusement and turned to see if AnaMaria shared in the fond memories but his laugh died on his lips when he saw her less than amused face.

"Which days are you remembering so fondly Silver?" the girl asked quietly. "The days in which we were out in space, sailing as we please with no man to tell us otherwise, the days that ran long with laughter and unabashed fun; or the days in which you were possessed by your obsessions, the days where families were torn apart and where we had to always remain one step ahead of the law? Which days are you referring to; because it seems to me they were all the 'good 'ol days' to you." The aging cyborg scowled at his former scout's words.

"We are pirates, AnaMaria! We live by no man's rules but our own and we answer to no one. We take what we want and we say damn the consequences! This was the life ye chose –," the teen was swift to cut him off, her tone harsh.

"No! This was the life thrust upon me by circumstance and you! There was a time when I thought you could do no wrong but then you couldn't see who your friends and enemies were. You allowed your disgusting obsession to possess you until you were a mere shell of the man you used to be! There was a time you listened to reason but now all you listen to is the jingling of those coins in your pocket!"

"Belay that!" Silver growled, his mechanical eye glowing a fierce ruby. Normally, this would stop AnaMaria in her tracks but not tonight, her words were fueled by more than mere anger.

"Why?" she snapped. "Because you don't like what you are hearing? There was a time when you would never resort to methods such as mutiny to get your way! If I remember correctly it was you who said that a man seeking power through overthrowing another's power only seeks ambition and ruin! And yet here you stand, full of ambition and greed!

"I see the way you look at him. He has grown to be much more to you than a simple cabin boy. You have a certain fondness for him now, I hear the way you fill his head up with praise, and I for one will not stand by and allow you to crush him like so many others before you!" AnaMaria allowed her words to set in, her chest heaving up and down as she inhaled and exhaled furiously. Silver leveled her with a bitter glare.

"What about ye lass?" he challenged silently. "You'd like to put all the blame on poor old Silver but ye have had countless opportunities to tell the little whelp about the mutiny and ye haven't yet! What does that say about ye? Ye try to make yerself out to be the good pirate but what ye fail to realize is that there are no good pirates! When the mutiny takes place he will look at ye just as one of us: a no good, back stabbin' pirate, and who will ye have on yer side then? The good Captain and Doctor would sooner throw ye in jail than spare ye, even if ye don't stand and fight with us. Once they find out about yer past ye can kiss yer freedom goodbye!" His words left a bitter taste in her mouth as she scowled.

"I know what is right," she said softly, pathetically.

"But ye want your freedom more," Silver finished triumphantly. "Before ye go runnin' that mouth of yer's to the boy just make sure of what ye doin' to yerself as well." Bidding the child a good night shift, he slipped the pipe back into his mouth and headed off to the other end of the ship for some much need quite time.

Silently, AnaMaria followed him with her eyes until he disappeared from her sight before sighing heavily and settling down for a long shift.


	9. Standing Up for What is Right

AnaMaria was relieved of her shift a few hours before sunrise by a well rest Mr. Onus. After the two exchanged brief pleasantries, she climbed from the crow's nest and dragged her feet down to the sleeping quarters for some much needed sleep.

On her way to her hammock she spared a passing glance in the direction of a slumbering Jim, all too aware of the painful twist in her heart at the thought of what was to come. However, if she ever wanted to get any sleep she needed to push thoughts like that to the back of her mind, so she did just that. And as she crawled into her cot that offered her little comfort she began to drift off, safe from her guilty conscious as her dreams were silent ones.

….

Morning came earlier than expected and AnaMaria could be found sleeping peacefully in her cot. The young pirate was more than a little tired from the events of the previous night episode so when she a certain cabin boy ran past her cot, hitting it and making her tumble out she was more than a little irritated.

"JIM!" she yelled. She made sure to grab one of her rattan sticks as she stumbled after him on to the deck.

It appeared that Morph had stolen one of Jim's shoes and he was trying to get it back from him. He was so caught up in his chase with the shape shifter that he didn't see whose cot he ran into. Upon hearing AnaMaria's voice, he turned to her, only to find her standing before him tiredly, one of her sticks in hand.

"I take it you're not a morning person," he chuckled weakly. When she launched her stick at him, he ducked and ran for it. The fear of being hit by her weapon once again made him act quicker than he normally did. He pulled on his shoe and sped down to the galley all in one graceful move, hoping there was some place to hide from the enraged girl.

"Oh, Jim!" AnaMaria called out in a singsong voice. The boy had mere seconds to hide from sight but AnaMaria wouldn't give up that easily, there were only a number of hiding spot down there and she had confidently set her eyes on the most convenient.

As she strolled leisurely towards the inconspicuous purp barrel she ran her stick against the countertop, hoping that the noise was intimidating to the hiding boy. When she looked down into said barrel she wasn't at all surprised to see the cabin boy and Morph smiling up at her sheepishly.

She leaned against the barely tauntingly, smiling down at the two in what she hoped was an unsettling fashion. "What to do what to do?" she was playfully, faking thoughtfulness. She lightly drummed her rattan stick against the barrel as she decided on the best punishment.

An almost evil air came about her as she decided on her torment but before she could act, however the heavy footfalls of the crew came thundering down the steps. AnaMaria had the mind to tell them off but when she turned and got a good look at their mutinous faces the words died on her lips. Subconsciously, she pressed her back against the barrel that the boy was hiding in and hoped that he was smart enough to stay quiet, slipping her rattan stick into the barrel with him so he had some means of defense if the time called for it.

"We want to move," one of the crewmembers, complained.

"We don't move until we got the treasure in hand," Silver said, irritated. AnaMaria gripped the sides of the barrel tightly, dreading the oncoming conversation for many reasons.

"I say we kill'em all now," Scroop said, bloodlust shining brightly in his eyes. Silver grabbed the spider by his snout and forced him down to his eye level.

"I say what's to be said," Silver growled. He moved his grip to the spider's throat squeezing as he talked. "Disobey my orders again like that stunt you pulled with Mr. Arrow and so help me you'll be joining him!" The cook pushed the offending spider away from his harshly.

Scroop stumbled back into AnaMaria but a firm push from her set him firmly on his feet once more. The girl felt her breath catch as an almost inaudible squeak rose from the barrel but with a swift glance around the room she was confident she was the only one who heard the noise.

"Strong talk," Scroop growled, "but I know otherwise." The spider alien knocked AnaMaria from her post at the purp barrel with relative ease. He sent her a warning growl to show he was in no mood to hear room as he reached blindly into the barrel.

The young pirate felt her throat tighten and her panic beginning to rise, all too aware of what would happen if Scroop chanced a look into the barrel….but a second later his claw returned from its confines, a large purp in tow. The girl could feel breathing coming much easier once more.

"You got something to say Scroop?" Silver asked, clearly interested in what the spider's assumptions.

"It's that boy," he hissed. For an instant, Silver's heated look was replaced with a worried one, but he was swift to put the mask back on.

AnaMaria hoped she was the only one who noticed but when a knowing smile slid across Scroop's face she knew that he say it as well.

"Me thinks you have soft spot for him." For more emphasis the spider poked a hole into the purp. All question eyes were now turned on the fuming Silver.

"Now mark me, the lot of ya. I care about one thing and one thing only," Silver growled, holding up one finger for better emphasis, "Flint's trove! You think I'd risk it all for some nose wiping little whelp?"

"What was it now? You got the makings of greatness in ya," Scroop taunted, knowing he hit a soft spot. AnaMaria could feel the anger bubbling inside the pits of her stomach as she glared at the smug Scroop.

"I cozied up to that kid to keep him off our scent," Silver said, smoothly if not nonchalantly. "But I ain't gone soft."

"What about you, AnaMaria," Scroop asked. The girl found the unwanted attention of the crew fall to her. "You seemed to be getting close to the little cabin boy. Developing feelings, are ya?" Scroop smiled down on the girl.

"You stay out of my business, Scroop!" AnaMaria snapped.

"So you admit to being a traitor?" Scroop questioned, grabbing the girl by her collar.

"I admit to nothing!" she sneered kicking at her spider crewmate. Scroop snarled and threw her against the wall, pressing his pinchers deep into her throat.

"Then you're said to be a traitor!" Scroop growled, smiling in satisfaction.

"So be it!"

With as much strength as she could muster, she lifted up her foot and sent it slamming into the unsuspecting Scroop's abdomen. He immediately dropped her and clutched at his stomach, wincing in pain. Once he regained some kind of air from the attack he prepared to return the favor but the glaring Silver held him back.

"You want to help this traitor?" Scroop snarled, angry that this was the second time Silver interrupted his fight with the human girl.

"Of course not," Silver snapped, avoiding AnaMaria's gaze. "But we'll deal with her once we've taken over the ship!"

The dissatisfied Scroop opened his mouth to voice his protest but was cut off by the cries of land. With a last glance at the "traitor", AnaMaria's former crew hurried up the stairs to get ready to land.

Behind her, AnaMaria heard Jim climb out of the purp barrel and stumble forward. She turned around hesitantly only to be met by Jim's hurt expression.

"Jim you have to understand," AnaMaria began, begging him to hear her. Jim cut her off.

"You knew?" he asked. The hurt rang clearly in his tone. "You knew and yet you used me so you could get closer to the map, is that it?"

"No, Jim, I never-" she was cut off once again.

"You lied to me!" He backed up, afraid to get anywhere near her.

"Jim please, I didn't mean to hurt you!" The cabin boy shook his head, not trusting a word of what she said.

"How can I trust you when you're a pirate just like them?"

The words stung AnaMaria, more than she cared to admit. "Because I'm different from them!" she cried, choking back a sob.

Jim laughed bitterly. "All you wanted was that treasure. Well, guess what; when I find it I'll make sure you never see even one doubloon!" Jim snapped. AnaMaria could once again fell the tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She reached out to her friend but he avoided her touch and raced for the steps.

She turned to call out to him, to make him see reason, but the cries died on her tongue as the looming figure of Silver stepped into the galley.

"Playing games, are we?" Silver asked, looking from him to AnaMaria.

"Yeah, we're playing games," Jim said backing up into the nearby table.

"Never was much good at games," Silver said his cyborg arm disappearing behind his back. The trained ears of AnaMaria perked up as she heard his gears shifting, signaling a change in the arm's form, "Always hated to lose."

"Silver-" AnaMaria tried to say but the cook cut her off.

"Stay out of this, lass," he warned. Jim, taking this distraction as his chance, picked up the knife sitting on the table behind him and flew at Silver.

"Me too!" he grunted as he swiftly stabbed the cook's cyborg right leg and took off up the steps. Silver cried out in pain as gas began to steam out of the hole.

Not missing a beat, AnaMaria shot up the steps with Silver stumbling behind her. They both turned just in time to see Jim slamming the Captain's stateroom door. "Blast it all!" Silver growled behind her. Pushing the girl out of the way he whistled to the crew. "Change in plan lads!" his cyborg arm turned into a cutlass as he grinned evilly. "We move now!" The crew shouted in delight as they scurried around the ship waiting for their Captain's orders.

"Change in colors Mr. Onus!" Silver shouted up to the many-eyed alien.

"With pleasure, Captain!" Onus shouted, quickly taking down the current flag and raising their black jolly roger. Behind her, AnaMaria heard the breaking down of a door. Turning to the noise she saw a fellow pirate had broken down the door to the artillery storage and was passing around some guns to the crew.

AnaMaria moved to stop them but a firm grip on the back of her neck stopped her dead. Glaring upwards at her captor she found herself looking into the face of a smug Scroop.

"What do we do with this traitor, Captain?" Scroop asked, shaking the girl by her neck for good measure. Mentally remembering to repay the favor later, if there was a later, the young female pirate raised her hands in defeat; at the moment it was useless to fight.

"Tie her up, we could use her if the boy tries to resist," Silver chuckled.

Scroop, finally being able to handle the girl, knocked her to the floor. When she moved to retaliate he met her attack with a gun pointed at her face. "Move and I blow a hole in that pretty little face of yours."

The girl glared but didn't intimidate the spider, knowing for a fact he'd be all too happy to follow through with his threat. Up by the Captain's stateroom, some of the crew was working fast at the doors.

Being the impatient man that he was, Silver quickly grew tired of waiting and pushed his idiotic crew aside, changing his mechanical arm into a mini cannon. The door was reduced to rubble within seconds and the smug pirate was stepping into the stateroom, confident of his victory. His grunt of aggravation gave AnaMaria hope.

Silver returned to the deck swiftly, a scowl marring his lips. He headed straight for Scroop and AnaMaria and snatched the girl from the spider's pinchers, taking little note in Scroop's displeasure.

"If they get away lass, ye best be praying they don't have the map," Silver said as he dragged the struggling teen down to the longboat dock. Seeing that the door was open, Silver pushed the girl forward and into the room.

The first thing the pirate noticed was the slowly opening door to the bottom of the ship, the second a struggling Jim and Morph who appeared to be fighting over a golden ball of some sorts. Smiling in malicious delight, the pirate pulled the lever that controlled the opening and closing of the bottom doors so that the doors would begin to close and hurriedly pulled AnaMaria along to greet the still struggling Jim.

AnaMaria opened her mouth to shout out a warning to the boy but Silver slapped a hand over her mouth."Ye won't be messing this up for me, lass." He pushed the girl back, forcing her to fall into one of the docked long boats. Her head met harshly with the side of the boat, effectively dazing her.

"Morph!" Silver barked catching the shape shifter's attention. "Come here Morphy." Silver began to whistle to the little blob as if he were a dog.

"Morph, Morph, bring it here. Come here Morph," Jim called out. Back and forth the two went, confusing the little blob until he disappeared into a pile of ropes. Silver lunged but fell short thanks to his injured leg.

Crawling towards the map Silver was just an arm length away when Jim snatched it up. With a quick look at Silver, Jim spun around and headed for the departing long boat.

Silver, now on his knees, changed his cyborg arm into a gun and charged it, pointing it straight at Jim's retreating form. He had a clear shot, all he had to do was shoot and the treasure map would be his for the taking. One, nice clean shot and – the weary pirate dropped his arm and allowed the boy a safe escape.

Jim jumped towards the long boat and chanced a look back, quickly finding the barely conscious AnaMaria sprawled out in the remaining life boat. His heart tugged painfully in his chest but there was little he could do, in the next instant Captain Amelia and Delbert shot out the cables suspending the long boat and they were free falling to freedom.

The ship slammed against the closing door as it made for the exit, scratching loudly against the metal but they managed to make it out before any real damage could be done. The dazed AnaMaria slipped from the boy's sight as the ship fell away to freedom.

The nauseous caused by the rather large bump on her head was starting to wane and AnaMaria found that she could stand without her legs feeling like jell-o. The room slightly spun in circles but with a firm, deep breath, the girl was able to focus on the scowling Silver.

At the moment he was cursing his moment of sympathy and swearing that he wouldn't slip up again when the sight of the now standing AnaMaria caught his eye. Scowl deepening, he shuffled towards her and pulled her from the long boat roughly, ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that told him he was hurting her. Without so much as a word to her, he began to drag her back to the Legacy's deck.

Up on deck, the crew had turned all their attention on the retreating party, shouting obscenities' and throwing various objects in hopes to knock them off course. One of the crewmembers had even found the keys to the laser cannon and had the boat locked on target, his intent all too clear.

AnaMaria made a move to stop him but was cut off by the furious Silver. He pushed past his more zealous worker and knocked the laser off track just in time. "Hold you're fire! We'll lose the map!" The trigger happy scoundrel only managed to take out the long boat's mast as a result.

AnaMaria along with Silver and the rest of his crew watched in silent shock as the long boat dropped from the sky, disappearing into the mushroom forest with a loud explosion.

"No!" AnaMaria cried. She rushed over to the edge of the ship to get a better look below but was disappointed to see nothing but the tops of the high mushroom groves. She could feel her breath start to quicken and the tears stinging at her eyes as she spun on her heels and launched herself, screaming at Silver.

"You killed him! You killed him!" She swung her fists wildly into the pirate's gut, aware that her attacks did little damage but feeling that she needed to inflict something upon the heartless cyborg.

"Belay that!" Silver roared. He grabbed her tightly by the wrists, ignoring her gasps of pain as he threw her carelessly to the deck. He turned to address the rest of his crew, ignoring the pathetic heap that was AnaMaria. "We go down to retrieve the map, this treasure hunt isn't over yet." A chorus of praise rang loudly at the suggestion. Silver then turned to the pirate manning the laser cannon.

"But so help ye if it has been lost!" The coldness in the cyborg's tone was hard to miss and many rushed to be away from their Captain as he turned to head below deck. On his way across deck he picked up on the soft sobbing of AnaMaria and admittedly he felt a twinge in his heart. Slowly he made his way across the deck to stand over her shaking form.

"Get up lass, we got us a treasure to find," he said softly. The hate filled glare that met his words only worsened the feeling in his heart.

"Damn your treasure!" she whispered fiercely. "I didn't want it then and I don't want it now! What has become of you Silver? Do you realize what you have done?" The girl was reduced to tears once more and turned away from her former captain, disgusted to even look upon him any longer.

A sudden rage swelled inside the cyborg's chest at the girl's words and he found himself forcing her to stand. He leered into her shocked face. "Now ye listen here, lass! I am captain and what I say goes!"

AnaMaria solemnly shook her head. "You are no captain of mine."

Resisting the urge to back hand the infuriating female, Silver called out for Scroop. He barely moved his gaze from AnaMaria's as he addressed the smug spider alien.

"Guard the ship while we're gone Scroop, make sure nothing happens to her." When he caught sight of the spider opening his mouth to protest he was quick to cut him off, "that's an order Mr. Scroop!" Glowering in silent hatred, he reluctantly agreed before slinking away to mope.

With an even tighter grip on her arm, Silver led the girl down to the loading dock, eager to start the treasure hunt.


	10. Negotiations

"So it seems that we're not rid of our little nuisances yet," Silver growled. He and a handful of his crew, AnaMaria included, had spotted the wreckage easily enough and were currently standing in front of the now useless long boat. Jim, Captain Amelia, and Dr. Doppler were nowhere to be seen but their foot trails led off deeper into the mushroom wilderness. Upon seeing the wreckage and no lifeless bodies, AnaMaria allowed herself a small hope that the three were still alright.

"Which means that the cabin boy still holds the treasure map!" the pirate who fired the attacked that sent the long boat down exclaimed. Silver smiled humorlessly at the relief found in the creature's voice.

"That means you get to keep your life…for now." His former smile was replaced with one of malicious humor as he barked for the search to continue. His crew, not wanting to invoke his wrath, hurriedly followed the trail of footprints, leaving Silver and AnaMaria to catch up.

The cyborg gave a passing glance towards the now hopeful girl. "Don't expect too much, lass. The little whelp won't last for much longer. Once we find where he's hiding it'll be the end of him."

The girl simply shook her head. "You didn't kill him back on the ship, you won't kill him now."

Silver was irritated at the tone of confidence in the girl's voice and tugged abruptly on the ropes tied to her wrists. "Enough of yer talk!" And without another word, he began to stalk off after his crew, pulling a smirking AnaMaria behind him.

….

The trail led to a strange dome like structure covered over the years by moss and vines then disappeared. Many of the crew thought to over look the ruined oddity but when a voice cried out from inside, they reacted on instinct and began to fire. Silver and AnaMaria who were bringing up the back of the party quickly rushed forward to see what the commotion was about.

"Hold your fire!" Silver barked. His crew immediately followed his orders, still fearful of his wrath as he shooed them away and grabbed a hanky from the depths of his pockets. Grumbling under his breath about the idiocy of his crew, he quickly made a flag of surrender and waved it high, calling for the refugees within the structure to listen.

"If it's alright with the captain, I'd like to have a word with ye, Jim-bo! No tricks!" The cyborg moved to where the boy could see that he was unarmed, forcing AnaMaria into the arms of a burly crew member.

The girl struggled viciously in the creatures grasp, determined to free herself from her bounds. When the moment presented itself she yelled out loudly for the inhabitants of the structure to hear. "Don't listen to him! Take the map and –," A swift fist to her abdomen cut the words from her mouth and ripped the breath from her body. She was reduced to gasping for breath as around her the crew giggled.

"Alright!" shouted Jim's undeniable voice. Another round of giggles erupted at the gullibility of the boy. Sending his crew a warning glance, the old cyborg limped off to meet with his former cabin boy.

"Yer little boyfriend is in for it now!" one of the crew member cackled. A sudden push to her back sent AnaMaria stumbling forward, landing face first with the ground. Her cheek scraped against the pebbles beneath the flesh but she gritted her teeth and bit back her pain.

"Once Silver has the treasure map in his hands, yer little Jim is as good as dead!" another roared. They all burst into a fit of laughter, each one taking a sick delight in the certain end of Jim, the captain and the doctor.

But AnaMaria knew better. She knew Jim wouldn't fall for the silver-tongued cyborg or play into Silver's hands. She knew that he would do whatever it took to make sure the greedy old pirate never saw one corner Flint's trove, even if it meant his own life.

So when the old cyborg came limping back towards the crew, his mechanical eye red as a ruby AnaMaria knew that Jim hadn't given in, and that there was still hope, no matter how minuet.

"We make camp here tonight, they have no where left to run; that map is as good as ours!" Silver growled. The crew shared a greedy smile before rushing off to find supplies to make camp for the night.


	11. Regain His Trust

How anyone could sleep in a room full of snoring men was beyond AnaMaria's knowledge. At the current moment she found her wrists still bound and the end of her rope tied securely to a tree feet away from the roaring fire that was providing everyone but her warmth.

She had waited until all the pirates had drifted off to sleep to attempt to escape but found her efforts to be useless. Her wrists were a burning red thanks to all the rubbing she did against the rope in an attempt to free her hands and her arms screamed with soreness from the relentless pulling she did in an attempt to break the rope from the tree. She had just tried to use her saliva as a kind of lube to maneuver her hands free when her ears caught the sound of whining metal.

Snapping to attention she gazed cautiously out into the wilderness. Within the pits of her stomach she felt a small sense of fear begin to bubble up as the darkness didn't present any danger to her, and yet from the erect hairs on the back of her neck she knew she was being watched. Silently, and not the first time since she was bound, AnaMaria wished for her rattan sticks.

A slight rustling in the bushes made the girl jump to her feet and stare wide eyed as the sound became louder and closer. If whatever it was decided to attack her she'd be easy, defenseless pickings. It was as the thought of raising an alarm crossed her mind that the form of Jim Hawkins stepped from the darkness accompanied by the small ball of gelatinous goo known as Morph and an old, rusted robot with a broken compass in its chest. AnaMaria's eyes widened in shock and her heart began to race as the boy rushed over to where she was tied.

"What are you doing here!" she hissed quietly. She chanced a glance around at the slumbering pirates and hoped that they wouldn't awaken.

"I have to return to the ship," he said guardedly. His crisp tone tugged at AnaMaria's heart but she forced the feeling to the back of her mind.

"They have Scroop guarding it, it's suicide!" The boy waved her warning away and moved towards the long boat tied to the neighboring tree. The girl huffed, sparing a quick glance around at the still slumbering pirates. "At least take me with you!"

For a second it looked like he was actually considering the proposal but then he scowled and shook his head. "Why should I trust you? You're a pirate just like them!"

"And what was I before you found out I was a pirate?" AnaMaria challenged. "Did I you're your trust then? Let me help you! I can distract Scroop while you go find whatever it is you have to go back for and if you still don't trust me after that then so be it!"

Jim turned his scowling face towards hers, clearly torn by what he should do. The last time he trusted her she had betrayed him, thrown her lot in with the likes of Silver and his crew, but that pleading look in her eye…..

Jim huffed angrily and rushed to untie the girl. When she was free the two worked together to reel in the boat and under AnaMaria's steady hand, maneuvered the long boat out of the mushroom forest and up to the floating Legacy.

They pulled the long boat parallel to the ship's right side and once checking to see if the coast was clear scrambled aboard. The robot, who AnaMaria was introduced to as B.E.N – Bio-Electronic Navigator – had somehow caught his foot on the side of the ship while boarding and ended up crashing loudly to the deck with a startled yelp. AnaMaria and Jim were quick to silence him.

"Sorry," he whispered.

AnaMaria took up the back as Jim led the way across deck, keeping an eye out for the shifty Scroop. When they were safely below deck she felt herself relax a little for the threat of attacking from above was very limited.

"Okay, I'll get the map you and guys wait here," Jim whispered.

"Map?" AnaMaria inquired softly. "You came back for the map! But I thought –."

"I'll neutralize laser cannons, sir!" B.E.N volunteered. The cabin boy tried to call the robot back but he was already down the corridor singing "A Pirate's Life for Me". Jim rubbed his face in exasperation.

"I'll see to it that he doesn't cause too much of a ruckus," AnaMaria promised. The girl made to follow the robot but was quickly stopped by Jim.

"No! I want you by me at all times!" He leveled her with a hard stare before shuffling off down the opposite corridor leading to the loading dock.

"Sure, you trust the lunatic robot but you don't trust me," she huffed. Grumbling under her breath she quickly followed after the boy, shoving the dull ache in her heart to the furthest recess of her mind.


	12. Like Dropping a House on Scroop's Head

They made it to the loading dock without any sightings of Scroop and thankfully B.E.N hadn't managed to set off any alarms. AnaMaria followed Jim back towards the end of the docks and watched as he dug around a pile of ropes until he pulled from them a small golden ball.

To many, the golden orb wouldn't be much to look at – its paint was dull and there were odd designs on the surface – but to any pirate who knew the stories of Flint and his treasure the orb meant countless riches.

"And to think, all this fuss over something so ugly," AnaMaria chuckled.

Suddenly the harsh clangs of what could only be an alarm began to sound, causing AnaMaria's blood to run cold. She shared a look of panic with Jim and Morph before they took off for the deck.

"This wouldn't have happened if you would have just trusted me!" AnaMaria yelled over the alarm. The two teens slid around a corner and towards the steps leading up to the deck, freedom in sight.

"That stupid robot is gonna get us all –," He stopped short of the steps, causing AnaMaria who was a few paces behind him to slam into his back. She opened her mouth to complain when she caught a glimpse of what cause the boy's abrupt stop. Standing at the top of the stairs, glaring down at the two teens and Morph was none other than Scroop. "—killed."

"Hello," the spider growled, snapping open his pinchers.

Spinning on her heels, AnaMaria grabbed Jim's wrist and yanked him back down the corridor, knocking down barrels to oppose as obstacles for the spider. She could feel him breathing down their necks as their two legs were no match for the speed of his six. She could practically feel his pinchers grabbing hold of the back of her neck and squeezing the life from her body…but then the pressure was gone and as much as she wanted to look back to see what had caused the end of his pursuit she knew that doing such would only further endanger her and Jim.

There was no place to hide where the spider couldn't find them and sooner rather than later they would reach the end of the road and then what would happen? AnaMaria tried not to think about it as she prepared herself to turn into the loading dock but her thoughts immediately flew into panic mode when she felt her body being jerked backwards.

Her first response was to struggle fiercely against the force pressing her back into the wall but when she found herself looking into the terrified eyes of Jim she quickly calmed down. He motioned for her to stay still as he produced a gun from the waistband of his pants. Holding it close to his body he waited until he thought the opportune moment and jumped in front of a rather surprised Scroop, the gun pointed at the spider's heart.

AnaMaria saw his eyes widen as he realized that he had been gotten the best of but then the corridor was bathed in darkness.

"Jim!" The cry was from her lips before she could stop herself. In the next instant however, the room was cloaked in a red light providing a big source of relief for the teens but no Scroop.

The cabin boy searched wildly for the missing spider, spinning every which way only to find himself and AnaMaria alone in the corridor.

Panic was hammering in the girl's chest as she too searched for the spider that had been standing before them moments ago. It was only when she felt the slight presence of another on top of her did she know she was in trouble. She opened her mouth to shout a warning to Jim but was quickly silenced by a claw the jaw.

The force of the blow knocked her from her feet and out into the open corridor before a surprised Jim. The boy rushed to help her to her feet but stopped short at her insistent refusals. An all too familiar squeal from Morph alerted him to the danger behind him.

Apparently, the pink blob had managed to surprise the spider temporarily but before Jim could take advantage of it he found himself on his back with the gun sliding from his grasp. He reached out to retrieve the weapon but the spider was on him in the next second.

Reacting without thinking, AnaMaria launched herself at the spider towering over Jim and knocked him backwards. She moved into a position where the spider could do little damage to her and began a wild struggle with him. The loss of gravity was the only thing that tore the two apart.

Seeing her chance, AnaMaria landed a solid check on the spider's abdomen and sent him crashing through the latticed section of the deck. The pull of space quickly saw to it that Jim and AnaMaria soon followed him.

The two teens scrambled wildly in the air, attempting to grab at something that would anchor them to the ship but they were too far away to grab on to anything. AnaMaria had just narrowly avoided the snapping claw of Scroop's when an object that could be their saving grace grabbed her attention.

"Jim, the flag!" she shouted.

The boy looked up just in time to grab a hold of the flag and hold on tight. He made a quick grab for AnaMaria as she floated past and managed to pull her to his side tightly. However, Scroop wasn't going to let them off that easily.

The spider was scaling the mast with relative ease and would be upon them any second to send them hurtling into space when he stopped short at the crow's nest. A sudden idea came to mind in his twisted head and the simple familiarity of the situation brought a sinister smile to his lips, a smile he was only too happy to share with the teens.

Moving to where they could both clearly see him, the spider dramatically snapped open one of his claws and began to cut slowly into the rope holding the flag to the mast. He wanted to draw the pleasure out for as long as possible, he wanted to embed the fear the two teen's eyes held forever into his memory.

"Do say hello to Mr. Arrow for me," he cackled. The rope was hanging on by mere strands now, his victory was almost complete.

"Jim, do you trust me?" AnaMaria asked quickly. The boy spared the girl a quick, confused glance.

"What?" Now wasn't the time to be asking about trust, of all things.

"Do you trust me?" she asked again. The flag was flapping dangerously in the wind now, the rope slowly unraveling to its breaking point. It was too late to know the answer, now was the time to act.

AnaMaria lunged forward, propelling not only her body but Jim's as well towards the mast. The two teens clumsily wrapped themselves around the mast and stared wide-eyed at the glaring Scroop.

"On my count," AnaMaria whispered, loosening her hold on the mast. "One…."

Scroop poised himself to jump.

"Two…"

He was going to take them both out with one attack and finally be rid of them! He pushed himself forward to finish the job.

"Tell him yourself!" Jim roared. He snatched the surprised AnaMaria's hand in his and jumped up, digging his feet into the back of Scroop as jumped past and into the flag. The two had just enough time to grab onto the mast again and watch as a startled Scroop faded into the distant outer space.


	13. The Door to the Universe

When one has been without gravity for even the slightest of seconds, reintroducing gravity to them should be a delicate process. However, AnaMaria and Jim and little say so in the matter. As soon as the little speck that was Scroop disappeared from view the felt the familiar weight of gravity pushing down on them, forcing them hard onto the floor of the crow's nest.

Exhausted from their excursions, the two took a few moments to rest and recollect their wits. Both wanted nothing more than to lay down for a long rest but when the rattling of the call pipe beside them grabbed their attention they were tense alert once more. The two could only laugh however, when the threat was only a soot-covered Morph.

"So that's where you were hiding," AnaMaria mused aloud, laughing as Morph shook the soot off with one cough.

"Morph?" Jim said from beside AnaMaria, still a little dazed. Morph chattered something before relaxing in AnaMaria's out stretched hands. From the deck below, B.E.N's voiced shouted up to the two teens.

"Laser canons disconnected Captain Jimmy, sir!" The two teens looked down to see the robot cover from head to foot in wires. "That wasn't so tough." AnaMaria scoffed a protest and lay back down in the crow's nest. Jim, following her lead, lay down beside her. Together they gazed at the map clasped in Jim's hand.

"All this over a stupid map," AnaMaria muttered.

"About earlier," Jim spoke up. AnaMaria waved the unspoken words away.

"It's not important," she said simply.

Jim opened his mouth to protest but found the idea of an argument at the moment energy consuming and closed it the next second. Standing to his feet he offered her a hand up before opening his mouth to speak again.

"And I do trust you." A small smile graced the girl's lips as the two started down the ladder of the crow's nest.

They returned to the long boat quickly, steering the vessel towards B.E.N'S place, the strange structure in which Jim, the captain and doctor had taken refuge.

As soon as they got back AnaMaria, Jim, B.E.N, and Morph hurried through the "back door", AnaMaria having little time to marvel at the machinery that made up the mysterious planet, and climbed through the hatch so they could show the Captain and the doctor their findings.

The instant AnaMaria set foot in B.E.N's place she knew something was wrong. All around her, she could feel it; the air was thick with the smell of musk. _'Something's not right,'_ AnaMaria concluded as she saw Jim run over to the sleeping form of the doctor.

"Doc, Doc, wake up, I found the map," Jim said, excitedly.

Out of the shadow's came an all too familiar cyborg arm. "Fine work, Jim-bo," Silver congratulated, snatching the map from Jim's hand. His cyborg eye glowed red as he smiled evilly at the teen and the map. "Fine work indeed."

Jim stepped back, eyes widened in surprise. Off to the side he heard a loud muffling noise he didn't hear before. He turned to see the Captain and Delbert bound and gagged in the pirates' grasp. He whirled around to see B.E.N caught in the arm of a pirate and AnaMaria struggling in the firm grip of a burly pirate.

He tried to run to the young girl but some of the surrounding pirates that didn't have their hands full jumped at him and held him back. He struggled in their grip as he tried furiously to get to a struggling AnaMaria who had been forced to her knees, a gun pointed at the back of her neck as warning.

"You're just like me Jim-bo, you hate to lose," Silver said, smiling cockily at the still struggling cabin boy. He laughed then turned his attention to the golden ball in his hand. He tried to open it but the ball wouldn't budge no matter how much force he put into it.

Silver looked over at Jim to see the boy smirking coyly. He thrust the map at him. "Open it." The pirates holding him back pushed him towards the map. He glared up at Silver as the cyborg placed the map in his hands.

"I'd get busy," Silver said warningly, changing his arm into a pistol. He pointed it at AnaMaria and looked at Jim heatedly.

"Jim, don't do it!" AnaMaria shouted. She was quickly silenced by the pirate behind her pulling her head back by her hair. Jim glared at said pirate before diverting his attention towards Captain Amelia and Delbert.

The Captain shook her head feverishly while Delbert nodded his desperately. When Delbert saw the Captain was doing the exact opposite of him, he quickly started to shake his head.

Jim, seeing no other choice, quickly pressed the buttons in the sequence required and turned the map so it would open. From the map came a holographic picture of treasure planet. A chorus of awed gasps rang loud at the sight before them. The hologram quickly dispersed into a line leading out the window and deep into the fungi jungle.

Silver, caught up in his amazement followed the line to the window and stared after it hungrily before turning back to his crew and captives.

"Tie them up. And leave him with the others 'til we-" he was cut off by Jim closing the map. The line leading off into the unknown returned to the map quickly. Silver turned to look at the boy in surprise.

"You want the map, you're taking me too," Jim said calmly, looking Silver straight in the eye.

Silver thought it over for a second before chuckling and saying, "We'll take 'em all."

The pirate holding AnaMaria captive forced her to her feet. She shrugged the pirate off and shot him a glare before turning and heading towards Jim.

"You alright?" she asked, worried. Jim nodded, avoiding her gaze. The girl frowned and knocked him on his head with her knuckle. The boy looked up at her as if asking what she did that for "Don't beat yourself up about it; you didn't have any other choice." The boy nodded his head solemnly as if not entirely convinced.

Silver barked for them to get a move on and steered Jim out to the long boat. Another pirate pushed AnaMaria along after the two. Once everybody was crowed into the long boat, they wasted little time in following the trail now set before them

Halfway through the forest the trees grew closer, making it hard to see the light so the group decided to abandon the long boats and continue on foot.

"You, stay with the good doctor and captain. We'll use them as insurance to make sure the boy doesn't get any smart ideas!" Silver ordered one of the crew. Although not at all happy about having to stay behind and babysit the alien agreed, jabbing the doctor in the side to take out his frustration.

Silver made sure to keep AnaMaria close to his side during the trek, just in view of Jim in case he got any bright ideas. Whenever the girl tried to move away from him, he'd pull her back to his side and quietly threaten her, throwing a smirk back at the scowling boy for extra measure.

Soon the trail led the group into a tightly packed section of the fungi forest where the light disappeared into. Sensing the end of their search Silver called for his crew to cut through the fungus, pushing AnaMaria away from him in his greedy daze.

The girl stumbled backwards and would have fallen to the ground if it hadn't been for Jim catching her underneath her arms. She smiled at him gratefully before moving with him into the new path open to them by the pirates' blades.

As they emerged from the thicket, they were met with a peculiar she: the light that had led them there was pointing to empty air. A dubious shroud feel amongst the group as they searched frantically across the expanse for anything that might be the source of the sudden stop but found nothing.

"I see nothing!" Onus exclaimed from beside AnaMaria. "One big stinking pile of nothing!"

"What's going on Jim-bo?" Silver asked, clearly angry that there were no riches before him.

"I don't know!" Jim exclaimed, trying to open the now closed map. "It won't open!"

AnaMaria frowned deeply moved forward, taking in her surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary caught her attention but the rapidly blinking light above her head told her otherwise. She looked to the air, the trees and finally to the ground before something struck her as odd.

Narrowing her eyes she crouched and swept a hand across the ground. Surprisingly, it wasn't brown but silver, and felt cool to the touch like a kind of metal. Intrigued, she brushed more of the moss and dirt that covered the ground away to find a kind of ancient writing etched into the floor. She swept her hands across more the ground to get a better look at the writing only to come across a circular indent in the ground the size of the map in Jim's hand. She moved to investigate her findings closer but was quickly brought from her reverie at Jim's pained grunt. Snapping her attention to the boy, she found him on his side, wincing in pain.

She moved the few inches to be by his side, baring her teeth as she helped him to a sitting position. "Do you remember when B.E.N talked about his back door leading miles and miles down into the planet, a planet filled to the core with machinery?" the girl whispered softly in his ear. She motioned to the small indent in the floor to further explain her statement.

It took Jim only a second to get what AnaMaria was saying. Nodding his head, he moved from her embrace and jammed the ball into the missing chunk of earth. There was an instant reaction.

The metal ground began to glow green around them, silencing the pirates' impatient cries. The map rose slowly into the air, enveloped by a green circle. It stopped its ascent several feet off the ground just before Jim and AnaMaria.

With some assistance from the girl, Jim clambered to his feet. In as much awe as the rest, he warily reached out to touch the hovering ball but was stopped by AnaMaria. Looking to see what the girl wanted he found her attention to be focused on something else. He followed her gaze only to find a large triangular door opened to reveal a jaw-dropping sight.

"The Lagoon Nebula?" Jim gasped in surprise.

"But that's….halfway across the galaxy?" Silver muttered, the wheels turning in his head. Jim cast a glance at AnaMaria who had turned her attention to the map.

"It's a portal," she said softly. She observed the map closer, taking in the little symbols decorated across the orb. Each symbol, she concluded, stood for a different planet. She reached out to test her theory but stopped just short of touch it, glancing back at Jim nervously.

Nodding he reached out and took her hand in his. Guiding her hand in his, the two touched a symbol, watching in wonder as the door instantly opened to that planet.

"A big door," he whispered in her ear. Together they touched another planet and watched as the door opened to it. "Opening and closing." He looked around the map until he spotted Montressor spaceport. Squeezing the girl's hand a little tighter, he reached out and touched it, the door instantly opening to show the spaceport.

"That's how Flint did it. He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure," AnaMaria explained. Giddy with their discovery, the two began to press buttons at random, the door opening to each one before closing and opening another when the teens called upon another planet. They shared a cheerful laugh and would have been content to continue in the manner they found themselves in, wrapped in each other's arms, but the impatience of Silver interrupted them.

He pushed the two teens aside and began to press a few buttons of his own. "But where'd he stash it all? Where's that blasted treasure!" The pirate's irritation grew as each door led to another wonder that he wasn't interested in. He showed little interest in the ramblings of the robot behind the two teens, writing the pile of scrap metal off as a loon long ago. However, Jim and AnaMaria knew better.

"Treasure? Treasure? Buried in the…" B.E.N trailed off, clutching at his wires irritably as he tried to remember. Jim, having heard him say something about it before picked up where the robot left off.

"Buried in the centroid of the mechanism? What if…the whole planet is the mechanism! The treasure is buried in the center of this planet!" AnaMaria felt her eyes widen at the discovery. Was the treasure of a thousand worlds, a treasure that she had written off as a tale long ago, really be under her feet?

"How in blue blazes are we supposed to get there?" Silver asked. He pressed some more doors but none of them revealed his long-sought treasure. Jim shook his head and easily pushed the cyborg away.

"It's obvious isn't it? Just press the right door," he explained. He searched for the symbol and found it easy enough, tucked away in its own corner of the universe, overlooked as one of the many stars surrounding it. He pressed it and the door opened to a platform that led into a dark room. Eager to see what lie in wait, the boy stepped from around the map, took AnaMaria's hand in his own once more, and pulled her through the door. Before they could venture too far, a hand grabbed at AnaMaria's shoulder, holding her and Jim back until Silver stepped beside the two.

With Jim leading the way, they walked towards the edge of the platform, Silver's crew and B.E.N taking up the rear. What lay in wait for them was truly a sight to behold.


	14. I'm My Own Hero

A room full of treasure beyond their wildest dreams. Piled high from ground to ceiling, their findings ranged from gold coins to golden crowns. One could fill five ships full of the treasure and would still not have half of the riches stocked in the place.

The room itself was tall and sectioned off by platforms of lava surrounding them, a potentially dangerous place. However, no one was concerned with danger at the moment when all the treasure was theirs for the taking.

After the potential shock wore off, Silver's crew cheered and jumped into the air in joy. They raced forward into the trove, throwing the treasure into the air as they danced around merrily. Silver, still too awe stuck to believe it all to be true, stood rooted to his spot on the platform smiling widely.

Beside her, AnaMaria heard B.E.N begin to mutter, "This is all starting to seem strangely familiar." He scratched his head as he began to think. "I - I can't remember why…" A nudge from Jim brought her attention to an abandoned ship a few yards off. Nodding her head to show she understood, she nudged the muttering robot.

"Come on B.E.N, we're getting out of here," she muttered softly so Silver couldn't hear. Following Jim's lead, they slipped off the platform and began their way over to the ship. Thankfully they went unnoticed by the pirates who were too occupied with their own greed to care.

AnaMaria, seizing the opportunity, slipped a few coins and jewels into her pocket for later. Her actions did not go unseen by Jim who shot her a disapproving look. The girl simply shrugged it off and took the lead.

"Pirate," he heard her mutter. He smiled lightly and rushed to catch up.

"You know what's strange?" B.E.N muttered as they reached the ship, "You know this is frustrating Jimmy cause it's nagging at the back of my mind." Jim, who had climbed aboard after AnaMaria, helped the robot onto the abandoned ship.

B.E.N, falling to the deck floor, noticed something that made him let out a shriek of terror. Jim and AnaMaria turned to see why the loud robot was yelling only to find what he saw was definitely something to scream about.

"Captain Flint?" Jim gasped. For there, in front of them was the infamous Captain Nathaniel Flint in all his glory….well, what was left of him. AnaMaria cringed at the sight of his dead skeleton clutching something in his hands. The smell of his rotting bones reached her nose a moment later as she held back a gag.

"In the flesh," B.E.N awed as the two males approached the pirate's skeleton. "Well, short of, except for skin, organs, and anything else that - that resembles flesh. That-that's not normal. You know it's odd though because I remember that there was something horrible that Flint didn't want anybody else to know. I just can't remember what it was!" AnaMaria watched as Jim pried the object from the pirate's hand, breaking the frail bone in the process. "Oh a mind is a terrible thing to lose!" B.E.N grabbed AnaMaria in a tight embrace as he wept on her shoulder.

"B.E.N let go of me," AnaMaria ordered, struggling in the robot's surprisingly strong grip. Jim turned to the weeping robot and struggling girl to show them what lay in his hand.

"B.E.N, I think I just found your mind," he exclaimed, "hold still." Grabbing hold of the robot, he quickly attached the object to the back of B.E.N's head, ignoring the comment of his cold hands.

With the distraction of B.E.N's mind being found, AnaMaria managed to release herself from the robot's grip and stepped back so she could see the improved B.E.N with his brain intact. He didn't look much different save for his now blue eyes in place of his once green ones.

"Hello," B.E.N greeted, slightly fazed by the sensation he felt. "You know Jimmy I was just thinking…" The robot trailed off as Jim and AnaMaria shared a smile. "Thinking! It's all coming back! All my memories! Right up until the time when Flint pulled my memory circuit so I wouldn't be able to tell anyone about the booby trap!" In the distance an explosion sounded, rocking the room viciously.

The three snapped their heads towards the explosion only to find that more of them were going off. "Speaking of which," B.E.N trailed off.

All around them the room was dissolving into chaos. Gold coins flew every which way as explosion after explosion rocked the place. Much of the treasure fell away into the hot lava below while even more slid from the platform in which they were placed to create a beautiful waterfall of gold.

"Flint wanted to make sure nobody stole his treasure so he rigged this place to blow higher than a Kleptain kite!" AnaMaria covered her ears as another explosion erupted, this one closer to the ship.

"Makes sense," AnaMaria shouted. "Flint was known for his greed so why change his ways even in death?" Another explosion triggered some well hidden laser cannons to go off, slicing through the metal as if it were butter.

"Run Jimmy, Annie, run for your lives!" B.E.N yelled grabbing on to the two teens.

"You two go back and help the Captain and Doc," Jim ordered racing over to the controls. He ducked under the control board and shouted out to them, "If I'm not back in five minutes leave without me." AnaMaria felt her stomach twist.

"I am not leaving my buddy Jimmy!" B.E.N protested. He pulled the boy out from underneath the controls, earning the robot an irritated glare from Jim. His look clearly told the two not to argue and B.E.N obediently followed the silent demand. "Unless…he looks at me like that; bye Jim!" The robot immediately dropped the boy's feet and raced off the ship towards the exit.

"I'm not leaving you, no matter what face you pull," AnaMaria said stubbornly, kneeling beside the boy. She tried to reach for another cable so she could help him start the ship but he quickly stopped her.

"I told you to leave!" Jim snapped, irritated that the young girl didn't follow his orders. AnaMaria scowled.

"And last time I checked you weren't captain, so move over and let me help you," she said, pushing the boy over so she could scramble under the controls and connect the wires.

"AnaMaria it's not safe and you could-" The girl cut him off.

"I'm not going to stand by and play the damsel in distress. I'm my own hero, now shut up and let's fix this thing before we end up like Flint." With that, AnaMaria got back to work, connecting wires at an inhuman rate. Jim, knowing that he had lost this round, shook his head and began to help the teenager, both working with an abnormal quickness.


	15. Thinking on One's Feet

All around the two, the chaos was evolving, the room leaving little to no trace of the wonders it held moments before.

Working quickly, Jim and AnaMaria had the ship fully functional and hopefully ready to take off. When the ship roared to life after a few button pressing the teens shouted out in triumph, the pink blob, known as Morph chittering excitedly as well.

"We are so outta here!" Jim exclaimed hugging AnaMaria to him tightly. Kissing his cheek lightly, AnaMaria let out a cry of happiness before tickling the excited blob beside her. Their merriment was cut short however, when a certain pirate decided to make his presence known.

"Well aren't you two the seventh wonder of the universe?" Silver approached the two teens, smiling good heartedly. AnaMaria narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Jim, noticing the cutlass beside him, lunged for it. He gripped the hilt tightly and pointed it out in front of him as a warning, pushing the defenseless AnaMaria behind him. "Get back!" he growled at Silver. The pirate captain stopped short and looked down at the sword.

Looking back up he said, while glaring at the teens, "I like you boy, but I've come too far for you to stand between me and my treasure." Jim pushed AnaMaria and himself against the helm, cautious of the angry cyborg in front of them.

Silver approached slowly yet confidently, never losing the greed dancing in his normal eye. He had them cornered now and with no where left to run they had no choice but to do as he said, lest they wanted to be run through with his cutlass! And as the hope faded from their eyes, salvation presented itself in the most unlikely form. A laser hit the ship, throwing the three overboard onto the platform in which the ship sat precariously.

Acting quickly Silver grabbed on to the side of the ship and planted his feet firmly on the platform he fell on. AnaMaria slammed sideways onto the platform but reacted within enough time, digging the soles of her hands into the metal surface, slowing her skidding to a stop. Jim, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky. As soon as he hit the metal surface, he was sent toppling over the edge.

"Jim!" AnaMaria called out. Moving cautiously over to the side, AnaMaria looked over the edge to see he had grabbed on to some of the exterior that was sticking out of a wall parallel to the platform.

She held out her hand for the boy to reach out and grab but the distance was too far. "Reach for me!" she yelled. The boy tried to reach out but the exterior suddenly disappeared into the wall, causing him to fall until he grabbed on to another exterior farther down. "Jim!" Growing frantic, the girl turned to Silver who was trying to get a hold of the ship full of gold.

"Help him Silver!" she yelled.

Turning to see what the girl was crying about Silver saw that his former cabin boy was struggling to hold on to the wall. Looking back at the ship full of gold the cyborg hesitated to move.

"Silver!" AnaMaria stretched her body over the edge and reached for Jim, holding back tears as she tried to grab hold of his hand.

Behind her Silver struggled for a moment longer until he saw AnaMaria falter and fall forward, tumbling off the side of the platform. Acting rapidly, Silver lunged at the falling girl, grabbing her around her middle before she fell out of reach. Turning to Jim, he grabbed the boy just before he fell into the fiery depths below.

Swinging the two back on to the platform, they shared a sigh of relief.

AnaMaria, who had finally managed to calm down, lunged at the panting Jim and squeezed him around the waist. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, idiot," she said, burying her head into his chest. He felt her hot tears on his chest as he gathered her in his arms tightly, refusing to let go.

Silver turned away so they could have some alone time, feeling oddly out of place. Just as he turned the gold-filled ship exploded, the treasure raining down into the molten lava below.

"Time to move," Silver exclaimed, pulling the two to their feet and breaking them apart. They quickly nodded and took off for the exit, dodging the threatening lasers as they ran. Once outside the three stopped to catch their breath.

"Silver, you gave up the-" Jim was cut off by Silver.

"Just a lifelong obsession, lad," Silver shrugged, waving the boy off. "I'll get over it." AnaMaria smiled and pecked the old cook on the cheek.

"Thank you, Silver," she laughed. Taking his hat off his head, she placed it on her own and saluted him. "I mean, thank you Captain, sir!" Silver smiled at the young pirate's playfulness and rubbed her hair. The sound of roaring engines reached their ears. Looking towards the sound the three found it belonged to the Legacy. The three looked on in silent amazement as the shipped approached them.

"Hiyah Jimmy," B.E.N called down to the boy as he pulled the long boat next to the three. "Hurry people, we've got exactly two minutes and thirty four minutes before planet's destruction!" B.E.N pointed at a watch on the back of his compass, flustered.

The ship, manned by Doctor Doppler, crashed into the side of the platform. "Smooth sailing doctor," AnaMaria smirked, climbing aboard the ship. Moving the quivering doctor away from the helm AnaMaria looked at Captain Amelia as if asking silently for her permission. With a quick nod from the feline, AnaMaria had the ship back into the air.

"Take us outta here metal man," Captain Amelia ordered, clutching her side as she stood to her feet. Nodding his head in determination B.E.N thrust the levers forward while AnaMaria turned the Legacy around and took off for the planet's surface, putting as much distance between them and the portal as possible.

It seemed like smooth sailing from her to the surface, but one could never hope for the best in a chaotic situation. A flying crate appeared from seemingly nowhere and smashed into one of the sails, tearing it and the support beam off. The support beam, in turn, fell on to one of the main thrusters, rendering the hyper speed useless.

"Mission sails immobilized, Captain; thrusters only at thirty percent capacity!" B.E.N exclaimed, typing something into his mobile computer swiftly.

"Thirty percent!" Dr. Doppler gasped. "That means we'll never clear this planet's explosion in time!" He looked back at a worried stricken Captain.

AnaMaria, thinking of a different escape plan, quickly turned her head back towards the open portal. "The door," she muttered to herself. Thinking quickly she turned to Jim and exclaimed, "Jim, the door!"

Jim, already one step ahead, nodded to her and jumped down on to the deck. "We gotta turn around!" Grabbing the broken thruster and a piece of metal Jim placed the thruster on the metal and began to look for something to attach the thruster with.

"What?" Captain Amelia shouted, clearly confused by the teens' idea.

"There's a portal back there!" AnaMaria explained. "It can get us out of here!" Dr. Doppler, not quite understanding where the two teens where coming from, quickly stepped into the conversation.

"Pardon me Jim, AnaMaria, but doesn't that portal open on to a RAGING INFERNO!" AnaMaria could understand the doctor's doubts, but that didn't mean she appreciated them.

"Yes, but I'm going to change that! I'm going to open a different door!" Jim explained slowly.

"Captain, I just don't see how-" Dr. Doppler was quickly cut off by Silver who was hustling down the stairs to help the former cabin boy.

"Listen to the boy!" Kneeling beside Jim, he began to understand what the boy had planned.

"One minute and twenty five seconds to planet's destruction!" B.E.N yelled over the chaos and confusion around the group.

"Not helping, B.E.N!"AnaMaria snapped as she got ready to turn on Jim's or Silver's say so.

AnaMaria noticed Silver quickly attach the engine with his welder that was built into his cyborg arm and lift the heavy metal with Jim and Morph's help. Climbing on the make shift solar surfer, Jim told Silver to keep the ship headed straight for that portal no matter what. Glancing back at the worried AnaMaria he nodded his head.

With a brisk nod from her, he started up the engine and took off for the portal, casting a glance once or twice at the girl operating the helm.

Pushing her worried feelings aside, AnaMaria turned the ship around swiftly and headed back to the portal, praying that Jim would pull through.

Her eyes were focused on the back of the boy as he dodged uprising ledges left and right, barely missing a few lava geysers on the way to the portal. However, she was quick to lose him as she had her own troubles operating the ship.

It was larger than a solar surfer and since the Legacy was so old it was harder to steer. Behind her Captain Amelia was shouting orders to here, severely messing with her focus as she barely avoided a rising ledge. She tried to block at the insistent yelling but it was harder than expected. Thankfully, Silver was quick to step in.

"Pardon my speaking Captain but with all due respect, LET THE GIRL MAN THE BLIMEY SHIP!" Immediately the Captain stopped her shouting and AnaMaria shot a grateful glance the cyborg's way.

"25 SECONDS!" B.E.N yelled. AnaMaria felt her hands grip the helm tighter.

Her eyes searched for Jim and found him quickly enough. From where she was it appeared that he was having problems with his solar surfer. She felt her breath catch as the boy suddenly began falling towards the lava pits below, his body jerking erratically as he tried to gain some life back in his surfer.

Her first instinct was to let go of the helm and hurry to help him but she planted herself firmly to the helm and gritted her teeth. She scolded herself for doubting the boy, knowing that he thought fast on his feet. And it was that thought that reassured her that he would find a way back to her.

And come back to her he did. With not even two feet between the Legacy and the portal the boy reappeared, the surfer flying with new life. He raced past the old ship and straight for the portal with only seconds left to save their lives. Behind her, AnaMaria could hear B.E.N counting down the seconds.

"7...6...5...4...3...2..."

It all happened so fast, one moment they were pushing the ship forward with all they had, relying heavily on the boy with the make-shift solar surfer and his one and a million chance of pressing the small map controlling the door to their safety and the next they are flying safely through the clear airs of the undeniable Montressor space port. Hearts beating fast with elation, the group shouted loudly into the air.


	16. So About that Kiss

With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Jim flew around the ship excitedly, whooping loudly into the air. He flew across the deck slapping hands with Silver and smiling at the proud doctor and captain who found comfort in each other's arms.

Morph exploded into mini firecrackers, basking in the joy of his companions and the relief that they were all still alive.

And AnaMaria laughed loudly into the air, happy to be alive but happier to see a certain Jim Hawkins smiling his coy smile in her direction.

Having eyes for only her, the cheeky boy maneuvered his surfer so it was slowly circling the girl. In order for her to keep him in her sights she had to spin slowly in place, a fact that Jim took silent pleasure in.

"Would you look who saved the day," AnaMaria said, smiling brightly. "We all owe you our lives." The girl chuckled softly when the boy simply shook her comments away.

"I think a kiss would do just fine," he said smoothly. Jim watched as a shy blush spread across her cheeks. It made him swell with pride to know that he put it there.

"I think I could do that," she answered softly. By this time, the boy had stopped his circling and she her spinning as he landed the surfer before her. Stepping off the contraption so he was eye level with her, he drew her into his arms and slowly lowered his face to meet hers. And just as their lips grazed each other's….

The Captain and Dr. Doppler grabbed the boy and drowned him in praise and talk of his future. He was slightly taken aback by the sudden occurrence and opened his mouth to stop them but they were having none of that. He sighed loudly and sought to grab AnaMaria's eye but the red faced girl refused to look his way.

AnaMaria smiled softly, happy that Jim had something to look forward to in his near future. She looked on for another moment longer before turning to silently follow an escaping Silver down to the loading docks. The two slipped away unnoticed, a curious Morph quickly following them.

AnaMaria watched from her seat in the long boat as Silver struggled to untie the ropes holding the long boat to the dock. They had to move fast if they wanted to make a quick getaway and the only thing standing between them and freedom was one last, stubborn knot.

Morph, who had managed to catch up with the two, gibbered happily at something at the other end of the docks. AnaMaria, curious as to what captured the blob's attention, turned to find Jim standing leisurely in the doorframe. Her heart thudded painfully as the boy shook his head.

"You two never quit do you?" Jim asked. At the sound of his voice, Silver quickly dropped the rope he was working on and turned sheepishly towards the boy.

"Ah, Jim-bo!" He laughed nervously. "Just checking to make sure our last long boat is safe and secure!" The pirate tied the rope hastily, albeit loosely. Jim saw right through his act but decided to play along.

"Hm…" Jim hummed lowly, approaching the long boat. He leaned down and secured the rope tightly. "This should do it." He looked at the slumped shoulder cyborg for a reaction.

Silver laughed and stood to his feet, Jim following. "I taught you too well." The cyborg placed his hands on his hips and looked down at the former cabin boy. "Now if you don't mind we just assume that we won't imprison little Morph or Ana here, they're free spirits! Being in a cage, it'll break their hearts." Silver demonstrated his explanation by caging the little shape shifter in his cyborg hand before releasing the blob a moment later.

Jim thought it over for a minute, looking from the cyborg to the girl avoiding his gaze. He smiled at the cyborg before reaching over and pulling the lever to release the ship. Smiling, Silver turned to the opening door and then back to the boy.

"What say you ship out with us lad?" Silver asked, smiling when Morph changed into a tri hat and placed himself on Jim's head. He glanced at AnaMaria, seeing the girl torn between regret and joy he returned his gaze to the boy before him. "You and the two of us: Silver, Hawkins, and Longstrum, Full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!" AnaMaria felt herself smile at his words.

"You know," Jim started, taking the "hat" off his head. He tickled it and it changed back to Morph then looked to cyborg. "When I first got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second. But uh, I met this old cyborg, and he taught me that I could chart my own course." He looked out at the red sky. "That's what I'm going to do."

"And what do you say of that pal of ours?" Silver asked, walking up beside the boy. Jim looked up at the cyborg and smiled.

"A future."

Silver chuckled. "Look at cha, glowing like a solar fire. You're something special, Jim." The boy in front of him began tearing up, holding them back only by force. "You're going to rattle the stars you are." AnaMaria heard the old cyborg's voice crack.

A moment later Silver opened his arms to the boy, having Jim embrace him not even a second later. AnaMaria could feel her heart melt at the sight. The two broke apart quick, Silver clearing his throat as if to clear the awkward moment. AnaMaria smiled softly.

_Men and their emotions._ She watched the two wipe away their tears.

"Got a little grease in this old cyborg eye of mine," Silver grunted, wiping furiously at his eye. Jim, not wanting AnaMaria to see his tears, wiped his away quickly also. Morph, torn between the two, fell in a puddle of his tears.

"Awe Morph, it's okay, I'll see you around, okay?" Jim laughed, catching the blob in his hands. The little blob repeated Jim's words before licking the boy's cheek and flying on to Silver's finger. Jim smiled at the blob before turning his gaze to the young girl behind Silver.

"AnaMaria," Jim called out, extending his hand to her. The girl smiled and stood to her feet. She jumped from the boat and looked up at him, unsure of what she should do or say; however, she thought she could start by taking his hand. The boy pulled her into his arms and held her close.

"Is this the last time I get to see you?" He clutched the girl closer, fearing her answer.

AnaMaria, holding back the tears in her eyes, slowly shook her head, "I have to go. Silver needs me and what awaits me if I get off this ship with you is imprisonment. Please, let me go. I wasn't meant for life on the ground." She buried her face deeper into his shirt and held back a sob.

The boy reached down and cupped her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. Offering her a small smile, he bent down and placed a soft kiss upon her lips. AnaMaria pulled away quickly and turned her back on the boy, tears burning in the back of her eyes.

Silver, seeing how torn up the girl and his little blob was, decided to make a decision. "Morphy, Ana, I got a job for you. I need you two to keep an eye on this…punk." AnaMaria and Jim looked at the cyborg in surprise. "Will you do me that little favor?" AnaMaria opened her mouth to protest but was swiftly cut off by the stern Silver.

"That's an order AnaMaria," Silver barked. The glared at the cyborg and crossed her arms, her tears suddenly gone.

"You're no longer my captain, Silver!" AnaMaria snapped.

"Aye," Silver agreed, "but you'll always be my scout."

Silver rubbed her head affectionately and while most of the time it irritated her to no end, she allowed the gesture, smiling softly in return. Morph saluted the cyborg and flew over to the two teens, flying around them as they bid goodbye to the cyborg.

Silver climbed into the long boat and quickly untied the rope. "Oh and one more thing," the pirate reached into his pocket and threw some jewels and doubloons at the boy who easily caught them, "for your dear mother, to rebuild that inn of hers!" He winked a farewell to the teens and his little shape shifter, confident that they would cross paths in the future.

"Stay outta trouble, ya old scallywag" Jim called out to the retreating cyborg. AnaMaria laughed and waved to Silver.

"Jim-bo, when have I done otherwise?" the old pirate asked, amused at the boy's concern. He opened the sails and set out into space, smiling at the three forms watching him from the ship. He was out of sight a few moments later, flying off into the wilderness, ready for another adventure.

Jim and AnaMaria regarded each other awkwardly, unsure of what to do now. The boy nervously scratched at the back of his head as he offered the girl a casual smile. "So….about that kiss?" AnaMaria laughed softly before stepping into Jim's arms. She shyly wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, nervously looking to him for approval. When she saw that he wasn't stopping her she leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips softly against his.

Jim quickly pulled the girl closer, relishing the electric feel of their connection and wishing that they could stay like this forever. He pressed his mouth eagerly, almost urgently against hers and when the girl breathlessly broke away he was afraid he had hurt her.

"They'll be wondering where we are," AnaMaria whispered quietly. Jim groaned loudly, seeing the truth in her words but not caring enough to break away from their embrace.

"Let them wait," he was tempted to whisper but when the girl broke away from his embrace and curled her hand around his he knew it was time to return to the deck.

"Fine," he grumbled, following her out of the loading dock area, "but you get to explain what happened to Silver." AnaMaria laughed loudly as Morph rushed to follow them.

Once they docked, the group turned in the pirates that had fled from Flint's trove in the nick of time. AnaMaria had to hide behind Jim when the authorities came. Goodbyes were said to Dr. Doppler, B.E.N, and the Captain before Jim dragged a reluctant AnaMaria off in search of his mother.


	17. Consequences

Sarah Hawkins had been looking around for her son each and every day since he left, coming from Delbert's house each day and waiting until noon to see if her boy had come home. Each day she left with disappointment but she wouldn't give up. Each day one could see the worried woman at the docking area, waiting for her son. This day however, Sarah felt that her son would finally come home to her, and she was right.

Just an hour before noon, the woman felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around only to find that her little boy was smiling at her happily. Over powered with joy the mother threw her arms around her boy and cried out happily.

Jim, happy to smell his mother, happy to feel her warmth, and hear her voice, wrapped her in his arms tightly. Happy to be home he forgot all about the shape shifter and the girl behind him. Morph, wanting to be hugged, made himself known by flying in between the mother and son moment, gibbering joyously. AnaMaria, feeling slightly out of place, watched awkwardly as Sarah smiled at the little blob.

Jim, remembering that AnaMaria was behind him, pulled her towards his mother, introducing the two. Sarah, remembering her smiled and hugged the girl close.

"Thank you," she whispered in the girl's ear. "This is the second time you've saved my boy, how can I ever repay you?" The girl, close to tears, held the woman tightly, loving the warmth of a mother's touch. The woman pulled the girl away at arm's length and smiled, brushing some of the hair out of her face.

"Such a beautiful little girl you got here Jim," Sarah cooed, looking over at her son. Seeing the blushes of the two, she smiled and kissed her boy's forehead. "Treat her right James Pleiades Hawkins." Jim, cringing at his full name, rubbed his head as he heard AnaMaria chuckle.

"Pleiades?" she laughed. Jim glared at her and lunged, grabbing the laughing girl around her waist.

"What so funny?" he growled, running his fingers through her hair. "Little Annie?" He smiled as he dodged her fist.

"That's not my name!" AnaMaria exclaimed, irritated that the boy called her that. She lunged at him and began to chase the laughing boy around his mother, shouting threats into the air. Sarah, seeing the two flirt like little kids, chuckled and watched in amusement when AnaMaria caught her son and began to give him a noogie.

Their happy moment was cut short however when two robot cops approached the small group. AnaMaria, noticing the two cops, ducked behind Jim just as the robots stopped in front of Jim's mother.

"AnaMaria Longstrum?" the robot cop on Sarah's right asked the hiding girl.

"Captain AnaMaria Longstrum," AnaMaria muttered, irritated that every cop she met got it wrong.

"You are hereby sentenced to spend the rest of your days inside a high security prison due to your heavy involvement in piracy," the robot cop on the right stated. AnaMaria came out from behind Jim, knowing that she was caught.

"Alright, let's get this over with," she said, holding out her hands so they could cuff her. Jim, Sarah, and Morph gasped as the cops took the girl into their custody.

"Wait!" Jim exclaimed, stepping between the cops and AnaMaria. "Can we rethink this? I mean she helped capture the pirates! How can you imprison somebody who helped so many people?" Behind him, Jim felt AnaMaria grip his shoulder. Turning, he saw her sad eyes staring into his.

"It's okay Jim," she said quietly. "I knew the consequences of my actions when I didn't leave with Silver. I'll go without a fight." Jim tried to protest but the girl moved around him, her gaze set on the ground.

Sarah, seeing how heartbroken both the teens were, jumped to help. "Wait officers! She saved us from pirates twice! Not to mention the second time she also saved a well-known astrophysicist and a captain! I beg of you, please reconsider!"

The cops shared a look before shaking their heads. "Her acts of piracy cannot be overlooked, nor will they be."

"If you wish to plead on her behalf then go to the courthouse but she's coming with us one way or another." Their grips on her arms were almost unbearable. AnaMaria felt as if she was being dragged away but she knew she was voluntarily walking away from the best thing that had happened to her life in a long time. Inside, she could feel her heart shattering into a million pieces.

Behind her, Jim looked on in horror. They had come so far, had this one big adventure and now, it ended like this? It wasn't fair! The boy moved to follow the cops but was stopped by his mother's firm grip. He looked up at her questioningly but she simply shook her head.

"I will talk to Delbert and see what he can do, for now, we have to let her go."

And it was in that moment that Jim felt his heart shatter.

* * *

And that is the end of my first Treasure Planet story. Of course if you see the movie you know the actual happy ending to Jim's story and I'm not saying that that didn't come true cause I'd like to believe in my story that it did, but I won't be covering it because it obviously happened while AnaMaria was incarcerated. I have decided to make a sequel, however I have to think long and hard about the plot behind it so it won't be out for sometime. All I know is that in the sequel I'll delve deeper into AnaMaria's past and I'm thinking of bringing Silver back as well. It's all up in the air right now so until then I hope you all can find some enjoyment in my other stories! 3


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